Vacancy
by InvisiMeg
Summary: Unable to stand living with Santana any longer, Quinn goes in search of a new apartment. When she comes across an ad for a 'future Broadway star' seeking a roommate, she decides to give it a chance, but after moving in, Quinn finds herself rethinking her decision.
1. I've Had Enough

**Well, here is the first of two new stories I've been working on. I hope you all enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

**Chapter 1 – I've Had Enough**

"Did you use the last of my milk?! Quinn yelled, slamming the refrigerator door, and turning around.

Santana rolled her eyes. "Chill, Barbie."

"Chill?" Quinn asked, putting her hands on her hips. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop using my stuff without asking first?"

"If I ask you'll just say no," Santana said with a shrug.

"That's because I don't want you using anything of mine," Quinn replied through gritted teeth. "I'm tired of being the one to buy everything around here, and then when I want to use it, it's gone."

"Oh, please," Santana said, throwing her hands up. "Like you're the only one that ever buys anything. I know you used my milk last week, so don't act all high and mighty."

"That's because you drank the last of mine!" Quinn yelled. "Again!"

"Can we not fight?" Brittany asked, looking between the two. "You're friends."

"We're not friends," Quinn replied. "We haven't been friends since I started living with her."

"Like you're such a wonderful roommate," Santana said. "You always have to have everything your way. You're so damn uptight, and god forbid if anyone wants to do things differently. Maybe if someone pulled that stick out of your—"

"San!" Brittany interrupted.

"You know it's true!" Santana yelled.

"Are you kidding me?" Quinn asked. "You eat and drink everything I bring home. You're a complete slob; your clothes are all over the place. You leave your wet towels around, including the couch. I'm tired of sitting on a wet spot just because you're too lazy to hang your towel up! I guarantee I could find enough of your clothes in the living room right now to do a full load of laundry. And I'm not even going to talk about how you go into my room and look through my things. You're as bad a roommate as you are a friend."

"Guys—"

"No," Quinn said, interrupting Brittany. "I'm tired of pretending everything is okay here because it isn't."

"I know we've had some trouble, but it'll be okay," Brittany replied.

"I know it will be, because I'm leaving," Quinn stated.

"What do you mean you're leaving?" Brittany asked.

"I mean I'm moving out," Quinn replied.

"I think that's the best idea you've ever had," Santana said. "The sooner the better. In fact, I'll help you move everything of yours down to the dumpster right now. I'm sure you'll feel right at home there. And why don't I start with those hideous dresses that make me want to claw my own eyes out just so I don't have to look at them anymore."

"Quinn, you can't go," Brittany said.

"Why not?" Quinn asked.

"Because we're all friends," Brittany answered. "And where are you going to go?"

"Anywhere but here," Quinn replied.

"Finally, something we can agree on," Santana said.

Quinn knew she was probably making a hasty decision, but at the same time, she'd been thinking about this for months. Really, she'd probably been thinking about it since the week she began living with her two friends. She and Santana barely got along when they didn't have to see each other all the time, so she should have known living with her would be a complete disaster. The fact that she'd made it two and half years without killing Santana was a miracle.

"Santana, please," Brittany begged.

"I'm sorry, Britt, but Blondie needs to go," Santana replied.

"If we could all just talk—"

"There's nothing to talk about," Quinn said, shaking her head.

Quinn turned on her heel and marched toward her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. A few moments later, though, she heard it open again. She didn't need to turn around to know that it was Brittany; if it had been Santana, she would have begun yelling at her the moment she'd opened the door.

"Are you really going to leave?" Brittany quietly asked.

Quinn sighed. "Yes. As soon as I find a new apartment, I'm moving out."

"Please don't go," Brittany said.

"I have to," Quinn replied. "Santana and I are going to kill each other if we have to live together any longer." Quinn turned around and sat on her bed. "I know you don't want me to go, but it's for the best. You know that."

"I like living with my best friends," Brittany said with a slight pout. "What if I can get San to stop doing all the things that bug you?"

"Then she wouldn't be Santana," Quinn replied. "And you know she'll never stop. One of us has to move, and she's obviously not going to leave if you're here."

Brittany's shoulders slumped as she sat down next to Quinn. "I wish you didn't have to go."

"I know," Quinn replied.

As much as she didn't like disappointing Brittany, she knew she really didn't have any other option. One of them had to go, and it was obviously going to have to be her. And as Santana had said, the sooner the better.

* * *

Quinn pulled her scarf a little more securely around her neck as the wind began to pick up. She wanted nothing more than to be in her warm apartment, but she couldn't stay there with Santana. The other girl was being even more obnoxious than usual and if Quinn had stayed, there was a good chance they would get in another fight. And this time it wouldn't just be them yelling at each other. So, she'd bundled up and went out, where the snow was falling and the wind was bitterly cold.

As she walked from the subway station to the library, she couldn't help but feel more and more resentment toward Santana. She hated that she couldn't even study in her own apartment. The other girl was always banging things or would have the television turned up where no sane person would have it or she would just talking loudly. Whatever the case, it was almost impossible for Quinn to study whenever Santana was around and she'd had enough of it. She was tired of Santana doing whatever she wanted with no regard for anyone else.

She knew before she ever moved in with them that it was probably going to be a bad idea, but she couldn't have predicted just how bad it would be. She and Santana had butted heads all through high school, but that was nothing compared to living with her. When she got into Columbia, she figured she would live in a dorm, but then her two friends decided to move to New York as well, and sharing an apartment became the cheaper option. At the time it seemed like a good idea, but now she knew living in a dorm would have been the smarter option.

"Thanks," she said, giving a smile to the guy who was holding the library door open for her.

"It's cold out there, isn't it?" he said.

"Very," Quinn replied, resisting rolling her eyes at him for stating the obvious.

The library was warm and Quinn finally felt like she could breathe again. Despite it being her third winter there, she still wasn't quite used to the snow and the wind, and she didn't know if she ever would be. She had always thought Ohio was cold, but it was nothing compared to the winters in New York.

"Getting an early start, too?" Quinn heard from above.

Quinn looked up and found Jack, a guy she'd had several classes with, on the landing, looking over the stair railing. "Yeah."

"Great minds," Jack said, holding up a small stack of books. "I'll see you."

Quinn smiled and gave him a wave before walking through the lobby and making her way toward the reading room. She would usually pick somewhere a little more secluded, but considering it was New Year's Day, the library was fairly empty. Most of the students were probably still visiting their parents, but Quinn had opted to stay in the city. Partly because she wanted to get a jump on the semester and partly because her mother drove her nuts any time they spent a significant amount of time together.

As she was walking to her usual table, she noticed the bulletin board to her right and made a detour to see if there were any notices for someone looking for a roommate. There were lots of notices on the board—some for concerts, a few selling various things—but quite a few were people seeking roommates. One immediately caught her eye, though. It was printed on pink paper and every line was bulleted by a shiny gold star.

"Future Broadway star seeking roommate?" Quinn whispered, rolling her eyes at the person's ego.

As she read on, her eyebrow went up. Whoever posted it was obviously playing a joke. The ad was for someone looking for a roommate, but they weren't charging rent. Who in New York City would do that?

Quinn shook her head and began looking at the other notices, tearing off the numbers of the ones that were not completely out of her price range. Her father already complained about how much rent was; she knew it would be difficult to get him to agree to pay even more. Still, it may be worth a try if it meant not living with Santana any longer.

After looking at each notice on the board, she started to turn around, but took one last look at the pink ad. Surely it was a joke, but Quinn pulled out her phone and dialed the number, nevertheless.

"This is Rachel Berry; please leave your name, phone number, and a brief summary of what you're calling about, and I will get back to you as soon as possible."

Quinn hesitated for a moment before saying, "Hi. My name is Quinn and I was in the library where I saw your ad looking for a roommate. I don't know if you've found one already, but if you haven't, please call me at 419-555-2175. Thanks."

Quinn ended the call and shook her head at herself. She couldn't believe she actually called and gave the person her number.

* * *

There was a light knock on the door and Quinn looked over to find Brittany peering through the gap.

"Can I come in?" Brittany asked.

"Yeah," Quinn said.

"What are you doing?" Brittany asked, frowning as she looked around.

"Packing," Quinn answered.

"You're already moving?" Brittany asked. "Did you find an apartment?"

"Not yet," Quinn replied, shaking her head. "I've called several places; I'm going to look at one today and I'm waiting to get a call back on some of the others. Right now I'm packing the things I don't necessarily need at the moment. I thought it would be best to get a head start on it."

"I wish you and Santana would make up," Brittany said, picking up a picture of the three of them.

"I don't think that's going to happen," Quinn replied.

She would be willing to stay if Santana would change, but she knew that would never happen. Santana may promise Brittany just to make her happy, but Quinn knew better. The second Brittany was out of the apartment, she would be right back to the old Santana—intrusive, inconsiderate, and loud.

"Couldn't you try?" Brittany asked.

"I have tried," Quinn replied. "I've tried for the last two and a half years. You know I have, and nothing has gotten any better. Santana and I just cannot live together."

Brittany was quiet as Quinn walked over and began boxing up some of the books from her bookcase. Thankfully, she didn't have an excessive amount of stuff. Almost all of it was in her room, which wasn't much bigger than her closet at her parent's house. Since Brittany and Santana were sharing a room, they got the bigger bedroom, and Quinn had been stuck with one that didn't have much room for more than a twin bed, a bookcase, and a corner desk.

"Will you visit at least?" Brittany asked after a few minutes.

"You'll see me," Quinn said, avoiding the question.

"I know, but when?" Brittany asked.

Quinn looked over her shoulder for a moment and then set the book she was holding down. She walked over and sat on the bed, patting the spot next to her. Brittany hesitated for a moment, but then she slid onto the bed, lying on her side with her head propped up on her hand.

"What if we agree to meet once a week," Quinn said. "For coffee or lunch or whatever we want to do."

"I'm only going to see you once a week?" Brittany asked with a frown.

"I'm not saying we can't see each other more than that, but sometimes we're both busy, and if we agree to always meet once a week, we can be certain we'll see each other," Quinn clarified.

Brittany nodded and then asked, "Can San come, too?"

"How about it stays just the two of us for a while?" Quinn replied.

"But I can call you anytime, right?" Brittany asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"Good," Brittany said. "Because other than Santana, you're my best friend, and I'm going to miss being able to talk to you whenever I want."

"I know," Quinn replied. "I'm going to miss you, too."

Some people didn't understand why she was friends with Brittany—mostly people from her classes at Columbia—but Brittany was the first person at McKinley High to befriend her when she moved there her freshman year. Brittany was the first person that had willingly talked to her, and it was something Quinn had never forgotten. Most people didn't really get Brittany and thought she was slow, but Quinn knew better than to underestimate her. She was definitely quirky when it came to a lot of things, but she wasn't stupid. She just had a different way of thinking. She was really good at reading people, though, and Quinn had never met anyone who could dance better than Brittany.

"Where's Santana?" Quinn wondered, realizing she hadn't heard her in a while.

"She went to the store," Brittany answered. "We were out of coffee and Captain Crunch."

Quinn hummed. "What are the chances she'll replace my milk?"

"Probably not very good," Brittany said, looking away.

Quinn sighed. "That's what I thought."

"I'll text her and tell her to get some," Brittany said, pulling her phone out of her back pocket. "I'll just tell her it's for me."

"You don't drink skim milk," Quinn stated.

"No, but I can tell her I want to try it," Brittany replied.

Quinn couldn't help but laugh. "You know she'll never believe you."

"No, but that doesn't mean she won't get it if I ask her to," Brittany said with a shrug as she began to text her girlfriend.

Quinn shook her head slightly and smiled as she walked back over to the bookcase. She pulled a few books from the shelf and neatly stacked them into the box.

"So, when are seeing that apartment today?" Brittany asked.

"Two-thirty," Quinn replied.

"Oh," Brittany said. "I was going to ask if I could come, but I have a class then."

"Well, if I like it, I'm sure you'll see it soon enough," Quinn replied.

* * *

Quinn cringed slightly as she walked through the hallway. Half of the lights were out and there was the distinct smell of urine and possibly like something died in the walls. She thought about immediately turning around, but she would do just about anything to get out of living with Santana. She just hoped the actual apartment was nicer than the rest of the building.

She walked to the end of the hall, stopping outside door 6C and knocked on it. The door swung open a few moments later, revealing a woman a few inches shorter than her with blonde hair.

"You must be Quinn," the woman said. "I'm Anna."

"Yes, hi," Quinn replied.

"Come in," Anna said, stepping to the side.

Quinn walked in and could instantly tell the inside of the apartment was no nicer than the hallway. And if Quinn thought her apartment with Brittany and Santana was small, it was nothing compared to this one. She already felt claustrophobic, and when the door shut behind her, she had to take a deep breath to calm herself.

"Let me show you around," Anna said, walking past Quinn. "I told you the basics over the phone. You know, rent and all that. And like I said, Jane is moving out in two days, so her room would be available after that."

Quinn nodded and followed Anna. As she looked around, she could definitely see why Jane was moving out. The place wasn't worth the price of rent. Even if Anna offered it to her for a few hundred less a month, Quinn still couldn't imagine living there.

"This is the kitchen," Anna said, flicking the light on. "The appliances are a little old, but they all work. There's no dishwasher so you'll have to do all your dishes by hand."

Anna turned off the light and walked past Quinn, who turned and followed her toward the living room. It was just big enough for the futon and small coffee table, with a small path around it.

"The living room," Anna unnecessarily said before walking toward the door on the other side of the room. "And this room would be yours."

"It's—" Quinn shook her head; if it was possible, the bedroom was even smaller than her current one.

"It's a little small," Anna said, finishing her thought. "But there's more room than there looks. The closet it pretty big, but it's full of Jane's things right now, so you can't really tell."

"I—" Quinn's ringtone began playing and she reached into her purse, pulling out her phone. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Anna replied. "Why don't you take a look around? I'll be in the living room." Anna turned but then stopped. "Just don't move anything. Jane's really crazy when it comes to touching her things.

Quinn nodded and then answered her phone with a, "Hello."

"Hi, is this Quinn?" a woman asked.

"Yes, this is Quinn," she replied.

"Hi! I'm Rachel Berry," the woman said. "I was hoping I got the number right. The voicemail cut out a little and I wasn't sure if the last number was a five or a nine." Rachel laughed. "Anyway, I obviously received your message and I was wondering if you're still interested in the apartment?"

"Um, yeah," Quinn replied.

"Wonderful!" Rachel said. "I will be home the rest of the evening, so if you would like to come over, we can certainly arrange that. Or if another day would work better for you, I'm relatively free this week. Next week will be a little more difficult, though, since classes will be resuming on Monday."

"Today would be fine," Quinn replied.

"Wonderful!" Rachel said, causing Quinn to raise her eyebrow at the other woman's exuberance. "How is four o'clock? I can show you the apartment and then there will be a short interview."

"An interview?" Quinn asked.

"Well, I'm not just going to let _anyone_ live here," Rachel replied. "While you sound perfect lovely over the phone, who knows what type of person you really are. I certainly don't want to invite someone into my home who is going to murder me in my sleep, and I believe an interview is the best way to get to know someone."

"Four is fine," Quinn said.

"Perfect!" Rachel replied, and as Quinn listened to directions to the apartment, she couldn't help wondering again if it was some kind of joke. She was probably going to show up at the apartment of someone who was definitely not Rachel, and then have to explain what she was doing there.

"I'll see you in a few hours!" Rachel said.

"Yeah, I'll see you then," Quinn replied before hanging up.

Quinn slipped her phone back in her purse and slowly turned, looking around the room. She had already seen enough, though; from the moment she walked into the apartment, it was obvious this wasn't the place for her. She just hoped her next appointment wasn't a complete waste of time as well.

* * *

**Reviews are always appreciated.**


	2. Movin' Out

**Chapter 2 – Movin' Out**

Quinn's jaw dropped the moment she walked into Rachel Berry's apartment. She had been impressed enough when she saw where it was located, but then she'd been greeted by a doorman. She'd hesitated for a moment, still worried it was some sort of prank, but he had been expecting her and had directed her to the apartment, where Rachel had opened the door before she could even knock. Rachel had greeted her with a wide smile and a cheerful 'hello' before inviting her into the apartment.

"May I take your coat?" Rachel asked.

Quinn pulled off her coat and scarf and handed them over to Rachel with a, "Thanks."

"I'll give you a quick tour," Rachel said as she walked forward, looking over her shoulder at Quinn. "Make sure you watch your step."

Quinn was so caught up looking around at the apartment that she would have missed the step if Rachel hadn't mentioned it. She gave her grateful smile as she stepped down and followed Rachel toward the living room. The apartment was huge—enormous by New York City standards—and Quinn instantly loved it. The living room and kitchen were both open, divided by a dining room table, and were probably twice the size of the apartment she currently shared with Brittany and Santana.

"So, what do you think?" Rachel asked.

"It's amazing," Quinn replied.

"I know, isn't it?" Rachel said with a smile. "My fathers bought it for me right after I received my acceptance letter from NYADA."

"They bought it for you?" Quinn asked.

"Yes, it was a wonderful surprise," Rachel replied.

"I can imagine," Quinn remarked

"This is the living room," Rachel said, motioning around. "It has the best acoustics, so I usually perform my vocal exercises in here." Rachel walked toward the large window. "And over here is where I practice dancing. The school has several open dance studios, but they're usually crowded, so it's usually easier to focus here.

"And as you can see, the kitchen is over there. All of the appliances were purchased when I moved in, so they're all fairly new and work perfectly. The laundry room is over there." Rachel pointed to a door next to the kitchen. "I do my laundry Sunday morning, so hopefully that wouldn't be a problem for you."

"Uh, no, that's fine," Quinn replied.

"Good," Rachel said, smiling as she moved on to the next door. "This is one of the bathrooms. The other is in the master bedroom, which is obviously my room. This is the one people use when I have guests over, so you would be sharing, but you would mostly have it to yourself."

"I've been sharing a bathroom with two other girls, one of who takes an hour to get ready every morning, so that wouldn't be a problem," Quinn replied.

"Wonderful!" Rachel said. "Well, this over here would be your room."

Rachel opened the door and Quinn's jaw dropped once again. The bedroom was three times as big as her current one and was relatively empty except for a few pieces of furniture.

"My last roommate moved out only a few days ago, but don't worry, I've had a professional come and clean it from top to bottom," Rachel said.

"Why did they move?" Quinn asked.

"I suppose I should explain the terms of living here before we go any further," Rachel said.

"Okay," Quinn replied, furrowing her brows as she followed the brunette into the living room.

"I imagine you're wondering why I don't charge rent?" Rachel said as she sat down on the couch while Quinn opted for the loveseat. "As a performer, it is important to get life experience, so I allow someone to live here with me for six months, rent free, in order to get to know people from a variety of different backgrounds. That way, when I'm preparing for a role, I can use these different backgrounds and perspectives to understand my character a little better."

"So it's just for six months?" Quinn said.

"Yes," Rachel replied. "Normally, I would have chosen a new roommate by the beginning of the year, but I'm afraid I was a bit busy visiting my fathers in Paris. If you were chosen, you would have to move by July first."

Quinn nodded. "That would be fine."

"Great!" Rachel said, grabbing a clipboard from the coffee table. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a few questions, which will allow me to choose the best applicant. It's just a quick fifty questions and then I can show you around the apartment a little more if you would like."

Quinn's eyebrows rose. "Fifty questions?"

"Actually, fifty-six; I added a few this morning. Is that going to be a problem?" Rachel asked, uncapping her pen, and looking over at Quinn.

"No," Quinn said before putting on a fake smile. "That's not a problem."

* * *

"What do you think?"

"It's nice," Quinn replied.

As Quinn looked around the room, she could feel the man's eyes on her the whole time. The bedroom was nice—a bit bigger than her current one—and it had a bathroom attached. It was definitely better than the first apartment she looked at, but nowhere as nice as the second apartment. Still, it wasn't bad.

That is if she didn't mind living with a guy who had been leering at her the whole time she was there.

From the moment he'd opened the door, she'd immediately gotten a creepy vibe from the guy. And as time went on, she became more and more weary of him. He kept standing a little too close for her comfort, and she was fairly certain she'd caught him looking at her butt. It was nothing she wasn't used to, but to live with someone like that was a different matter. Plus, she knew her parents would never be okay with her living with a guy. Regardless, she'd taken a look at the apartment as to not be completely rude.

"Well, I've showed you everything," he said, once again stepping too close. "Do you think you'll want it?"

"I'm going to think about it," Quinn replied. "I still have several apartments I'd like to look at, and I'm waiting to hear back on another. Thank you for the tour."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "The rent is negotiable."

"I'll definitely think about it," Quinn lied.

Quinn turned on her heel and began walking toward the front door as he followed her. She got to the door before he could catch up to her, and she threw a quick 'thank you' over her shoulder. And even as she walked down the hallway, she could feel his eyes on her backside the whole time.

When she finally made it out of the building, she couldn't help letting out a sigh. Partly from relief and partly from annoyance. She hated that she'd wasted her time again. There hadn't been a phone number to contact about the apartment; only a name and an email address. And since the guy's name was Cameron, she hadn't been able to tell if the person was male or female. She was guessing that was his intent, though.

As she walked down the street, she pulled her phone out of her coat. There were no messages, missed calls, or voicemails, so she slid it back into her pocket with a sigh. She hadn't heard back from three of the places she'd called about or from Rachel, who said she would give it some consideration and get back to her soon.

The interview had been weird, to say the least. Quinn couldn't remember the last time she'd answered so many questions about herself, and it had taken at least two hours to get through all of them. Some of them were simply like what time she usually went to bed and woke up, but some were a little more off the wall. Rachel had seemed particularly interested in her musical preferences and her opinion on Barbra Streisand, which Quinn found more than a little odd.

As odd as it all was, though, Quinn would live there if she was given the chance. Not only was the apartment spectacular, but it was completely free. Yes, it was only for six months, but at least it would give her more time to find a new place and she wouldn't have to live with Santana while doing it. It was win-win for her. The only downside she could really see was that she would have to live with Rachel.

As the interview had gone on, she'd found herself easily annoyed by the brunette. She'd never met anyone who could talk so much—most of it about herself—or someone who was quite so conceited. And that was saying something considering she'd lived with Santana the past two and a half years. Rachel was beyond full of herself, and Quinn had to stop herself from rolling her eyes every time the other girl mentioned how she was going to be a huge Broadway star one day.

Quinn was nearly to her apartment when she decided to stop at the Starbucks. She'd been up late packing and had gotten up early to look at the apartment, so she definitely needed some caffeine if she was going to make it through the rest of the day without a nap. And she knew she would never be able to take one with Santana in the apartment. Not when she was doing her best to be even more obnoxious than usual.

She just hoped that wouldn't be a problem for much longer.

* * *

"How was the apartment?" Brittany asked from the couch as soon as Quinn opened the door.

"The apartment was fine, but the guy who lives there wouldn't stop staring at me," Quinn replied as she shut the door and began pulling her gloves off.

"When are you moving in?" Santana asked.

Quinn rolled her eyes, but otherwise ignored the question.

"Did that Rachel girl call?" Brittany asked.

"Not yet," Quinn replied as she hung up her coat.

"I hope she calls," Brittany said. "It sounded really awesome."

"What sounded really awesome?" Santana asked.

"Nothing," Quinn replied before Brittany could answer.

"Just an apartment she looked at," Brittany said.

"I'm going to go pack some more," Quinn said, heading for her bedroom, so she didn't have to be in the same room as Santana.

Brittany jumped off the couch and said, "I'll help."

"She can do it herself," Santana replied.

"It's okay, Brittany," Quinn said over her shoulder.

As Quinn walked into her room, she could hear Brittany chastising her girlfriend in the living room. She knew it wouldn't do any good—Santana would never change or apologize—yet Quinn couldn't help but smirk a little. If there was anyone Santana couldn't stand being mad at her, it was Brittany. Not that she wanted her friends to break up or anything, but Brittany being angry with Santana was the worst punishment Quinn could think of, and Santana certainly deserved it right now.

"Where are you going?" Brittany yelled in the other room.

Quinn's door was pulled open and Santana walked in with her arms crossed over her chest. "When are you leaving?"

"As soon as I find a place," Quinn replied.

"Make it soon," Santana said, narrowing her eyes slightly as she turned and marched back into the living room.

Brittany threw her hands up, obviously exasperated. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Quinn replied as she walked to the door and shut it.

"I don't know why she's being like this," Brittany said, shaking her head.

"It doesn't matter," Quinn replied.

She hated that Santana was going to get what she wanted, but it was better than the alternative. So, even if Santana was going to get exactly what she wanted, Quinn didn't have much choice. Although, she _really_ did hate that Santana was going to get her way.

"What are you going to pack?" Brittany asked.

"Only the clothes are left," Quinn replied.

Brittany nodded and walked over to the closet, opening the door. "Which ones?"

"I'm not sure," Quinn answered. "I was going to go through them and decide."

"Okay, you can do that and then give them to me and I'll put them in—" Brittany looked around.

"There's a suitcase in the back of the closet," Quinn said.

"Got it," Brittany said, moving the clothes aside, and dragging it out.

As Brittany set the suitcase on the bed, Quinn walked over to the closet. She had no idea how long it would take her to find an apartment, so she didn't really know what she should pack and what she should leave in the closet.

"I think someone's calling," Brittany said.

"What?" Quinn asked, looking over her shoulder.

"It doesn't have a name," Brittany said, holding the phone out for her.

Quinn quickly accepted the call and said, "Hello?"

"Hi, Quinn, it's Rachel Berry," the woman said.

"Oh, hey, Rachel," Quinn replied.

"I thought I would call you first and let you know that I have made my decision," Rachel said, pausing for what Quinn could only assume was dramatic effect. "Out of all the candidates, I have decided to offer you the chance to move in."

"Really?" Quinn asked.

"Yes, really," Rachel replied. "It was a tough decision, but I feel as if I could learn the most from you. So, if you're still interested, the room is yours."

"What's she saying?" Brittany asked.

"Yeah, that would be great," Quinn said.

"Perfect!" Rachel replied. "I have to run right now, but I'll call you in a few hours with some of the details.

"Okay," Quinn said, furrowing her brows.

"We're going to have a lot of fun!" Rachel said. "I just know it! Goodbye, Quinn."

"Bye," Quinn replied.

"Well?" Brittany asked.

"She asked if I wanted to move in," Quinn replied.

"So you're going to?" Brittany asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "I'm going to move in."

"Does this mean you're leaving today?" Brittany asked, her shoulders slumping.

"I don't know," Quinn answered. "She's going to call me later."

Brittany nodded and then walked over and wrapped her arms around Quinn's shoulders. "Will you at least be here tonight? We could have a slumber party before you go."

Quinn lightly laughed and said, "Yeah. We can do that."

"Awesome!" Brittany said, squeezing her tightly before finally releasing her. "I'll grab the pizza menu, because it can't be a slumber party without pizza."

"No, it can't," Quinn replied, smiling at her friend.

* * *

"Do you want another piece?" Brittany asked.

"No, thanks," Quinn replied.

"More for me!" Brittany said, grabbing two pieces of pizza, and putting them on her plate. "Hey, do you think maybe we can watch a movie when you're done?"

"Yeah, sure," Quinn replied as she folded up a skirt, and placed it into a box.

"I can't believe you're moving tomorrow," Brittany said.

"You keep saying that," Quinn replied, looking over her shoulder, and smiling softly at her friend.

"I know, but, like, it's always been you, me, and San," Brittany said. "I thought we'd all live together 'til San and I got married or something, or maybe when you graduated, but not now. I know you have to go, but that doesn't mean I can't be sad about it."

"I'm not asking you to not be sad," Quinn replied, walking over, and sitting down next to Brittany.

"Good," Brittany said, nudging Quinn's shoulder. "Because my best friend is moving tomorrow and I'll be sad no matter what."

Quinn sighed as she averted her eyes from Brittany's and glanced around the room. Almost everything was packed except for a few clothes that were still hanging in the closet, the sheets on her bed, and few odds and ends and her toiletries.

"Is something wrong?" Brittany asked.

"I think it just hit me," Quinn replied. "This is the last night I'm going to sleep here."

As much as Quinn hated living with Santana and would glad to be away from her, part of her was sad that this was her last night there. She'd felt more at home in that room than she ever had at her parents' house. It was small, had a terrible view, and she could hear everything going on next door, but it had been her home for the last two and a half years.

Quinn looked over at her friend. "Has Santana already decided what she's going to do with the room when I'm gone?"

Brittany shrugged. "She hasn't said."

"Have you told yet?" Quinn asked.

"No," Brittany replied.

"Why not?" Quinn wondered.

"Because she'll be happy about it and I don't want her to be," Brittany replied.

"I think the rest of this can wait until tomorrow," Quinn said, standing up. "Why don't we go watch that movie?"

Brittany smiled. "What do you want to watch?"

Quinn shrugged and said, "You pick."

"How about Coyote Ugly," Brittany suggested.

"Isn't that what we watched our first night here?" Quinn asked.

"Yep," Brittany replied.

"I think that's the perfect movie, then," Quinn said with a smile.

Quinn remembered their first night in the apartment very well. They had no furniture, so they all sat in the floor and watched the movie on Santana's laptop. The movie had been Brittany's idea, and the rest had agreed that it was an appropriate movie for their first night in New York City.

"Do you want to watch it in living room or in here?" Brittany asked.

"Why don't we watch in here," Quinn said, walking over, and picking up her laptop from the desk.

She knew they would probably be more comfortable on the couch, but she really didn't want Santana ruining her night. So, she handed the laptop to Brittany and said, "Start it and I'll go make the popcorn."

"Don't forget the cheese stuff," Brittany said as Quinn began walking away.

Quinn opened the door and said, "I won't."

Santana looked over her shoulder the moment Quinn walked out of her room. A moment later, the TV shut off and Quinn rolled her eyes as she walked into the kitchen. She knew Santana would be in there any moment, and sure enough, she heard her footsteps on the linoleum a few moments later.

"Done packing, yet?" Santana asked.

"Almost," Quinn replied.

"Good," Santana said. "So, when are you moving?"

Quinn sighed and grabbed a bag of popcorn from the cabinet, throwing it into the microwave before finally saying, "Tomorrow."

"What?" Santana asked.

"I'm moving tomorrow," Quinn repeated, glancing over her shoulder at Santana, who seemed momentarily speechless. "The moving truck is going to be here at eight."

Rachel had asked her how she was going to move her belonging across town, but before she could answer, the brunette had already offered to have a moving truck there in the morning. Since Quinn didn't really know how she was going to move her stuff to the new apartment, she'd accepted Rachel's offer. She figured it would be better than her and Brittany carrying it all down since she knew Santana would never help.

"Good," Santana finally replied.

"Yeah," Quinn said as the popcorn began to pop.

"Just don't wake me up tomorrow," Santana said, slowly turning, and walking away.

Quinn shook her head to herself and sighed. Given Santana's attitude lately, she really hadn't expected her to react any other way, but it still stung a little, though she would never admit it aloud.

* * *

Before Quinn could even knock, the door flew open and Rachel was standing there with a smile on her face. Considering she'd made very little noise from the elevator to the door, Quinn could only assume she'd been standing there waiting for her, which she found a little weird.

"You're here!" Rachel said. "Great!"

"Yeah," Quinn replied, walking into the apartment when Rachel stepped to the side.

"Where are the movers?" Rachel asked, looking into the hall.

"They're on their way," Quinn answered.

"Do you need any help with that?" Rachel asked, motioning to the two boxes she was carrying.

Quinn shook her head. "They're not heavy."

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked. "I certainly wouldn't mind lending a hand."

"I'm fine," Quinn replied. "Thanks, though."

"I hope you don't mind, but I put a dresser in your room," Rachel said as she followed her to the bedroom. "I know you said you didn't have a lot of furniture, so I thought maybe you could use it. If not, let me know, and I'll have it moved."

"That's fine," Quinn said, setting the boxes down, and looking around.

The dresser in question was sitting against the previously empty wall. Quinn didn't have a dresser—she didn't have enough room in the other apartment for one—so she was fine with it being in the room. Though she was definitely going to move it from its current position. If that was even allowed.

During the interview, Rachel had mentioned a roommate contract that she was going to have to sign. She'd shown it to Quinn, who had glanced over it, but Rachel said they would go over it more in depth if she was chosen to move in. From what Quinn had seen, there were definitely some weird rules, but she knew it couldn't be any worse than living with Santana. At least Rachel was upfront about her rules; Santana, on the other hand, would just complain and threaten until she got her way.

"I think they're finally here," Rachel said, turning, and walking out of the room.

Quinn pushed the boxes against the wall and then followed Rachel out of the bedroom. The two men were moving Quinn's mattress through the front door, which was being held open by Rachel.

"The bedroom is in there," Rachel instructed. "Watch your step. And please don't scuff the floor."

Quinn walked toward the front door, smiling at the movers as they passed. "I'm going to go downstairs and bring some more stuff up."

"How many boxes do you have?" Rachel asked.

"Not many," Quinn answered, turning around. "It's mostly clothes and books."

"Let me help you," Rachel said, closing the door behind her.

Quinn wanted to tell Rachel that she didn't need to help, but she decided not to say anything. Instead, she turned and began walking toward the elevator, and Rachel quickly caught up with her.

"I have to say, I'm very excited you're here," Rachel said as they waited for the elevator to arrive. "I was beginning to think I wasn't going to find a proper roommate this time. Most of those who applied were from here, and I was really looking for someone from a smaller town. You know, for when I'm inevitably cast as a small town girl trying to make it in the city. Now I can use you as inspiration for my character."

"Um, yeah," Quinn slowly said.

"I think we're going to have a lot of fun," Rachel said as the elevator doors opened and they both stepped on. "My last roommate was—well, let's just say she wasn't what I thought she was going to be. She was friendly enough, but she was impossible to carry on a conversation with. I suspect she may have been smoking marijuana in her room, but I was never able to prove it. It would certainly explain her behavior, though."

"Yeah," Quinn replied, not really knowing what else to say.

"My roommate before her was a little better," Rachel continued. "Although, she was a little messier than I prefer. I don't know how many times I had to ask her to wash her dishes. She would just leave them in the sink instead of washing them by hand or putting them in the dishwasher like the roommate agreement specifies. She would also get up at all hours of the night and make far too much noise, but I certainly prefer that over smoking an illegal substance in the apartment. As I said, though, I was unable to prove it or I would have asked Rebecca to leave."

"How many roommates have you had?" Quinn asked as the elevator doors opened and the two stepped out.

"You're the fifth," Rachel answered before smiling. "And I have a feeling you're going to be the best one."

Quinn's eyebrow rose. She really hoped she'd made the right decision about moving in. Santana may have been a bitch to live with, but she was beginning to think Rachel was a little crazy.


	3. Wide Awake

**Chapter 3 – Wide Awake**

Quinn glanced at the clock and groaned as she grabbed her pillow from underneath her head and shoved it over her ear. It was barely six in the morning, but she could hear Rachel talking in the other room. She didn't hear any other voices, though, so she assumed she was talking on the phone. Or maybe even to herself. It wouldn't really surprise Quinn if she was. Really, it would go right along with her personality.

Quinn didn't have to be up for another two hours, but she knew she would never fall back asleep with Rachel talking to herself in the other room. So, reluctantly, she pulled the pillow off her head and threw the covers back.

As Quinn slid out of bed and walked to the door, she became more and more annoyed with every step. She had no idea what Rachel was doing, but was randomly laughing in different ways, all of which sounded completely fake. Not only that, but she seemed to be getting louder and louder with every laugh.

Quinn opened the bedroom door and walked into the large living room, looking toward the kitchen. Rachel was standing at the stove, and Quinn wasn't surprised to see that she _was_ talking to herself. The moment Quinn shut her door behind her, Rachel immediately stopped talking and looked over her shoulder at Quinn.

"Good morning!" Rachel said with a smile.

"Hi," Quinn replied.

"Did you sleep well?" Rachel asked.

"Not really," Quinn mumbled as she headed toward the bathroom.

The second the door was closed, she could hear begin Rachel talking to herself again, and Quinn rolled her eyes as she walked across the bathroom. She didn't understand how the brunette could be so chipper that early in the morning. Then again, Quinn had never been much of a morning person. Still, even Brittany wasn't _that _chipper in the morning, and she was the most positive, upbeat person Quinn had ever met.

When Quinn walked out of the bathroom a few minutes later, Rachel continued talking to herself as she made breakfast. Even when Quinn walked to the refrigerator and pulled out the carton of orange juice, Rachel didn't pause. Quinn wanted to ask what she was doing, but that would mean she would have to talk to Rachel, so she remained silent. Just as she was about to walk back to her room, though, Rachel said, "I'm sorry if I woke you. I needed to memorize these lines, and the best way to do that is by saying them aloud. I typically would have memorized them last night instead of waiting until the last moment, but I was so busy last night that I completely forgot about them."

"It's fine," Quinn lied.

"Would you like some breakfast?" Rachel asked.

"No thanks," Quinn said, turning around, and shaking her head.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked. "I have more than enough for the two of us."

"I'm sure," Quinn replied.

"Well, since you're up, maybe we can go over the rest of the roommate agreement," Rachel said.

Quinn sighed but nodded since she doubted she really had much choice in the matter. They had gone over most of it the night before, but it had gotten late, so Rachel said they would go over the rest the next day. Quinn didn't see how there could be much left to go over, but apparently there were still more rules Rachel needed to discuss.

"It's just a few more pages," Rachel said as she grabbed a plate and began scooping whatever she'd fixed onto it. "Do you have any classes today?"

"Yeah," Quinn answered.

"Are they early?" Rachel asked. "Do you need to get ready soon or do you have some time."

"I have a while," Quinn said, wishing she was still in bed.

"Perfect," Rachel replied. "Are you sure you wouldn't like any of this."

"Positive," Quinn said, unable to even tell what Rachel had made.

"Well, if you change your mind, there's some over there," Rachel said with a smile.

Quinn followed Rachel into the living and sat down adjacent from her. Rachel set her plate on her lap and picked up the roommate agreement from the couch cushion next to her, flipping to the page they'd left off on.

"I believe we already discussed my cleaning schedule," Rachel said, turning the page again. "That just leaves my policy on guests."

"Okay," Quinn replied.

"I don't mind if you have guests over, but I would prefer if you didn't have people sleep over," Rachel said. "I do make an exception on the weekends, but through the week, I like to focus on school, which is sometimes difficult to do if there are people over very late. So, through the week, I would prefer if all guests leave by eleven."

"That's fine," Quinn replied.

"And you are responsible for your guests," Rachel added. "If anything goes missing, I would expect you to replace it."

"The only person I will probably have over is Brittany, and she wouldn't do anything like that," Quinn said.

"Great!" Rachel replied. "That leaves my special rules about significant others."

Quinn sighed, propping her elbow on the armrest and resting her head against hand. This wasn't what she wanted to do first thing in the morning. Really, she would rather be doing anything else.

* * *

Quinn buried her head under the covers and threw her arm over her head, but it didn't work. Nothing seemed to drown out Rachel, who was in the kitchen, talking and banging pots around. And it was even earlier than the previous day.

The last time she'd looked at the clock, it was only five-thirty and Rachel was already up. Quinn had been lying there for a while in hopes that she would somehow fall back to sleep, but it was becoming more and more evident that it wasn't going to happen. Rachel was just too loud and she didn't seem like she was going to quieten down anytime soon. Worst of all, Quinn didn't feel like she could say anything about it.

If it had been Santana, Quinn would have yelled at her to shut up. It never would have worked with Santana, but at least she could have said something. With Rachel, the apartment was hers, and Quinn felt like a guest there rather than feeling like it was her home. All the rules she'd agreed to applied to her and only her. Rachel was free to do whatever she wanted, and Quinn didn't feel like she could do anything about it.

After lying there a few more minutes, Quinn finally threw the covers off of her and sat up. She rubbed her eyes and ran her hand through her hair, trying to untangle the worst of it. She still wasn't used to sleeping in the apartment and every little sound would keep her awake. And whenever she did fall asleep, she was usually awoken after only a few hours by Rachel, She really hadn't gotten a good night's sleep since moving in and it was beginning to take a toll on her.

When she finally got up and walked into the other room, Rachel immediately looked over at her and smiled. Quinn didn't return it, though; instead, she turned, rolling her eyes as she walked into the bathroom.

Even though her first class wasn't until nine, she walked over to turn the shower on. She didn't know when Rachel's first class was, but she was hoping it was early, so she could go back to bed once she left. And if she showered now, she wouldn't have to do it later; she could just get up and go to campus. At the very least, she was hoping the shower would help her wake up a little better.

After getting out of the shower, Quinn walked into her room with a towel wrapped around her. Rachel looked up from her seat at the kitchen island but quickly averted her eyes as a slight blush appeared on her cheeks. Quinn smirked slightly to herself; if Rachel was going to wake her up every morning before the sun had even risen, she wasn't going to feel bad about embarrassing her.

"Would you like some breakfast?" Rachel asked when Quinn finally walked out of the bedroom, fully dressed. "I made extra."

"I'm fine," Quinn declined.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked. "It's good. It's a sun-dried tomato, mushroom, and spinach tofu quiche."

Quinn scrunched her nose up at the thought of it. "I'm sure."

"What are you plans for today, if you don't mind me asking?" Rachel asked as she watched Quinn cross the room.

Quinn shrugged. "I have three classes and then I may go to the library for a while."

"Do you already have a lot of work?" Rachel wondered.

"Not yet, but I will," Quinn replied.

"I imagine Columbia is probably a very difficult school," Rachel commented. "You said you're studying comparative literature, correct?"

"Yeah," Quinn said as she grabbed a bowl from the cabinet.

"That must be interesting." Rachel said. "I wish I had more time to read, but I'm afraid I spend most of my time memorizing lines, working on my vocal skills, and learning choreography."

Quinn walked over to the other cabinet and pulled a box of cereal out while Rachel continued talking behind her. As she poured the cereal into the bowl and grabbed the milk from the fridge, she wondered if Rachel had the ability to be quiet. But as she began pouring the milk into the bowl, she realized Rachel was no longer talking, and when she looked over her shoulder, Rachel was looking at her.

"I'm sorry, what?" Quinn asked.

"I asked if you were listening, but I think I have my answer," Rachel said with a light laugh.

"Sorry," Quinn replied even though she wasn't really all that sorry. "I didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

"Well, maybe you will sleep better tonight," Rachel said.

"Somehow I doubt it," Quinn said, grabbing a spoon from the dish drainer, and walking toward her room.

* * *

"May I ask what you're reading?" Rachel asked as she sat down next to Quinn.

"A book for class," Quinn said, glancing over at her.

"Oh," Rachel replied. "Is it any good?"

"Not particularly," Quinn answered.

"I guess it's unfortunate that it's for class," Rachel remarked. "Otherwise you could simply not read the rest of it."

"Yeah," Quinn said.

Quinn didn't agree—she always finished every book she started even if it was bad—but she was hoping Rachel would take the hint and go away. She really wanted to get the book read, but it was difficult when someone was talking to her. Fortunately, the paper she needed to read the book for wasn't due for another week and a half, but she was hoping to get a jump on things. She knew how hectic her classes could get and she was hoping to avoid that this semester.

"So, what's your favorite book?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know if I have one," Quinn lied.

"Really?" Rachel asked. "That's a little surprising. Mine is A Little Princess. I know it's a children's book, but I still consider it my favorite. I can't tell you how many times I've read it over the years. I believe I was seven or eight the first time and I instantly fell in love with it. Then I watched the movie and I was outraged at the changes they made. I suppose that's why you should never watch the movie adaptation of a book you love. Well, if you don't have an absolute favorite book, do you a top five or top ten?"

Quinn sighed as she threw her pencil into the book to save her place. "I really don't know. I read a lot of books."

"There are no books you find yourself reading over and over?" Rachel asked.

"I don't really have time to reread anything," Quinn replied.

"What about before you began college?" Rachel asked.

"Then I was too busy with school and cheerleading," Quinn replied.

"You were a cheerleader?" Rachel asked. "I guess I'm not too surprised. You're very pretty, so I imagine you were very popular in high school. I went to a boarding school, so we didn't have cheerleaders, but I've seen plenty of movies set in the American public school system to know about the social hierarchy that exists within them."

Quinn stared at Rachel for a moment; she really had no idea what to think of her. She'd never met anyone who could talk so much or who spoke the way Rachel often spoke. She'd lived with Brittany for years, so she was used to the random things that would come out of her mouth, but Rachel was random in an entirely different way. Rachel often talked as if she'd had very little human contact and didn't quite know how to communicate in a normal way with other people.

"Anyway, did you like being a cheerleader?" Rachel asked.

Quinn shrugged. "It was—okay, I guess."

"Just okay?" Rachel asked.

"My cheerleading coach was a little crazy," Quinn replied.

"Really? How so?" Rachel asked.

"You'd have to meet her to understand," Quinn said, shaking her head as she picked up her book again.

"I had a teacher like that in school," Rachel commented. "One time I walked in on her talking to what I assumed was a student or another faculty member, but the room was empty. And anytime the class was particularly rowdy, she would threaten to take her shoe off. I still don't understand why. I don't know if she had smelly feet or if she was threatening physical violence. Or maybe she meant something else entirely. Did your coach do things like that?"

"Worse," Quinn replied.

"How much worse?" Rachel asked.

Quinn sighed, looking up from her book. "I think the worst thing she did was locking us in the gym for the weekend."

Rachel furrowed her brows. "She locked you in the gymnasium? Why would she do that?"

"Because she said we were getting soft," Quinn replied. "She was cutting six girls and whoever was alive by Monday could stay on the squad."

"Could you call anyone?" Rachel asked.

"No," Quinn replied. "She used something to jam the phone signal."

"So, what happened?" Rachel wondered.

"Santana made nine of the girls quit before I picked the lock," Quinn said with a shrug.

"The same Santana who was your roommate?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "Look, I really need to read this."

"Oh, right," Rachel said, standing smoothing her skirt down as she stood up. "I apologize for taking up so much of your time. I should be going anyway; I'm supposed to meet my dance partner at the studio soon." Rachel smiled. "Have a good evening, Quinn."

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "Later."

* * *

"Quinn!" Brittany called out, waving her arms.

Quinn couldn't help but laugh as she began walking toward the other blonde. She hadn't seen Brittany since Sunday morning and she'd definitely missed her. It was probably the longest she'd gone without seeing her in several years. Even when one of them went back to Lima for a visit, they were usually only gone for a two or three days at most.

"Hi!" Brittany said with a smile as Quinn approached.

Quinn smiled back and said, "Hey."

"I got your favorite," Brittany said, scooting a cup across the table.

"Thanks," Quinn replied, pulling the chair out, and sitting down.

"So?" Brittany said, looking expectantly at her. "I want to hear everything about your new place!"

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Rachel is driving me crazy."

"Oh no," Brittany replied.

"I had to sign a roommate agreement," Quinn stated. "And not just any roommate agreement. It outlines everything from her policy on guests to what I can eat when she's there to which way she wants the toilet paper facing."

"What won't she let you eat?" Brittany asked.

"I believe her exact words were that she doesn't want anyone searing animal flesh while she's home," Quinn replied.

"But you can when she's not there," Brittany said.

"Yes, but she's always there," Quinn replied. "Unless she's in class, she's home. She left once this week and that was something for class."

"That's kind of sad," Brittany said with a frown. "Maybe she doesn't have any friends."

"I can see why," Quinn replied. "She's the most annoying person I've ever met. She won't stop talking. Every time we're in the same room, she's talking to me. Even when I'm not in the room, she's still talking. All week she woke me up talking to herself."

"Why was she talking to herself?" Brittany asked.

"She says it helps her memorize lines better," Quinn replied. "Every single day I was up by six because of her. She would have kicked me out by now if the roles were reversed."

Brittany shrugged. "Maybe she wouldn't."

"She has rules about how loud the television can be at certain times of the day," Quinn stated. "She's crazy and she can't take a hint. Yesterday I was trying to read a book for class and she wouldn't stop asking me questions."

"What sort of questions?" Brittany asked.

"What my favorite book is, and when I told her I didn't have one, she started talking about her favorite book," Quinn replied.

"I thought your favorite book was that one about a bird," Brittany said.

"To Kill a Mockingbird," Quinn corrected. "It is."

Brittany furrowed her eyebrows. "So why didn't you tell her that?"

"Because I just wanted her to go away," Quinn said.

"Did she?" Brittany asked.

Quinn shook her head as she took a drink of her latte. "Somehow she started talking about high school and how she went to boarding school."

"Maybe that's it," Brittany said.

"What's it?" Quinn asked.

"Maybe that's why she's the way she is," Brittany replied with a shrug. "She probably just wants you to like her."

"That isn't going to happen," Quinn said.

She found everything about Rachel annoying and she didn't see that ever changing. She'd never met anyone so full of herself or someone so controlling. She really should have known the moment she saw the ad. No one normal would ever refer to herself as a future Broadway star.

"You know what you could do?" Brittany asked.

"What?" Quinn asked.

"You could move back," Brittany said. "San hasn't done anything with the room, so you could come back."

Quinn shook her head. "I can't."

As much as she disliked living with Rachel so far, living with Santana wasn't any better. Rachel may be inconsiderate, but Quinn had the feeling it wasn't necessarily on purpose. Santana, however, deliberately did everything she could to annoy Quinn. If anything, she would find an entirely different apartment, but she would never move back in with Santana.

"I'll make Santana promise she'll be better," Brittany said.

"You know she won't," Quinn replied.

"She might," Brittany insisted. "I could tell her if she does anything then she'll have to move out."

Quinn couldn't help smiling as she shook her head. She knew Santana would never believe it or any other threat Brittany came up with. No matter how much Brittany wanted her to move back, Quinn and Santana were just incapable of living together. At this point, Quinn didn't even know if she and Santana would ever even talk again.

"I just hate that I can't walk across the living room and talk to you," Brittany said with a slight pout.

"I know," Quinn replied. "You can always call."

Brittany sighed. "It's not the same."

"I know, but it'll have to do," Quinn said, giving her friend a sad smile.

* * *

As Quinn walked through the library, she noticed her usual study area was already taken by some guy with a ridiculously long beard. She narrowed her eyes at the side of his head and then looked around for an empty table. She hated switching study spots, but it unfortunately happened quite often. Columbia was a big school and the library was always fairly crowded, and today was no exception. So, Quinn walked to the nearest open table and pulled her backpack off.

"I guess we had the same idea."

Quinn looked up and saw Jack, her friend from class, at the next table. "I guess so."

"Want to join me?" Jack asked, motioning to the chair across from him.

"Sure," Quinn said, shrugging, and picking up her bag.

"Are you working on the paper?" Jack asked.

"I finished it," Quinn replied.

"Really?" Jack asked, raising his eyebrows. "I haven't even written the first sentence. Hell, I haven't even finished the reading yet."

"You know it's due Monday, right?" Quinn asked in amusement.

"Yeah, yeah," Jack said, waving her off. "I guess it's a good thing I work best under pressure, huh."

Quinn pulled her notebook out of her backpack, along with a book, a pencil, a highlighter, some Post-it notes, and stack of index cards. She laid them all out on the table and then pulled the chair out, sitting down.

"You're already reading that?" Jack asked.

"I'm trying to stay ahead," Quinn replied.

"Really ahead," Jack commented.

"It's easy to do when someone wakes you up every morning several hours before you need to go to class," Quinn remarked.

"What is Santana doing now?" Jack asked.

"Actually, I moved last weekend," Quinn said. "I couldn't live with Santana any longer, and I found this flyer for a rent free apartment."

"Rent free?" Jack asked. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "I figured it was a joke, but I called anyway. It turns out it wasn't a joke. She called me the next day to set up an interview."

"Is it a complete dump?" Jack asked.

"Actually, it's an amazing apartment," Quinn said. "Her parents bought it for her when she got into college, which is why she doesn't need to charge rent. She says she thinks it'll give her life experience or something." Quinn shook her head. "I don't know; she's a little weird. She woke me up every morning this week running lines very loudly in the kitchen."

"Actress?" Jack asked.

"Broadway," Quinn replied. "She goes to NYADA."

"She must be good," Jack remarked. "Last year I went on a couple dates with this guy from there. He said they only accept, like, twenty new people into the program each semester."

"She's definitely thinks she is," Quinn said. "Her ad for the apartment actually said 'future Broadway star' on it." Quinn rolled her eyes. "I haven't heard her sing, though, and I hope it stays that way. Knowing her, she'll do it while I'm trying to sleep. If I did what she was doing, she would probably make me move. She has all these insane rules, but none of them apply to her."

"What kind of rules?" Jack asked, looking amused.

"I'm not allowed to leave anything lying around the living room," Quinn said. "And if I fix anything in the kitchen, I'm supposed disinfect the counters immediately. I'm not allowed to burn candles unless they are lavender or vanilla scented. Only environmentally friendly cleaning supplies are allowed to be used. Anything you could possibly think of is probably in the agreement that I had to sign."

Jack laughed. "And I thought I had it bad last year."

"Yesterday, Brittany tried to get me to move back, but I think I'd rather deal with Rachel's rules than have to live with Santana, At least Rachel isn't going to sneak into my room and go through all my things. I hope not, anyway. She said my bedroom is my space and she won't go in there."

"You should light a cinnamon candle in your room," Jack said. "You know, since there's nothing she can do about it."

Quinn laughed as she shook her head. He was always coming up with things she should do to get back at Santana—now Rachel—and she always appreciated it even if she never did any of them. They usually made her laugh, though, and she was tempted to do a few of his ideas sometimes. Their bad roommate experiences had bonded them; he was often the only person she could truly vent to.

"An hour and half," Quinn said, looking at her phone.

"What's in an hour and half?" Jack asked, furrowing his brows.

"Rachel's leaving the apartment and I can go back," Quinn said, giving him a wry smile.


	4. Be Nice

**Okay, so, since several people have asked, this is a Faberry romance story. I figured that went without saying, but I guess not. Rest assured, just because they're not making out by the third chapter, it doesn't mean they won't eventually be.**

**Chapter 4 – Be Nice **

"She's singing now," Quinn said into her phone.

"Quinn?" Brittany asked, sounding groggy. "What? Who's singing?"

"Rachel," Quinn replied. "She's singing in the shower now."

"Why is she singing?" Brittany asked.

"Because she's Rachel," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"Didn't you say she has her own bathroom?" Brittany asked.

"Yes, and it's across the living room, but she's so loud she woke me up," Quinn said. "At five-thirty."

It was the second morning in a row she'd been awoken by Rachel's singing. She really had no idea how someone so small could be so loud or how she could hear her through several walls. And what made it worse was that she couldn't quite make out the words. That morning, she laid in bed for twenty minutes as she tried to figure out what song Rachel had been singing, which made it impossible to fall back asleep even after Rachel had stopped.

She finally began to drift off again a little before six-thirty, but then Rachel started fixing breakfast, and as she had for the past week, she ran lines. By the time Rachel was finally quiet, Quinn had been awake so long that she gave up trying to sleep and very grumpily got up to shower.

"Is she good?" Brittany asked.

Quinn frowned slightly. "What?"

"Rachel," Brittany replied. "Is she a good singer?"

"I don't know," Quinn said. "She was muffled."

"I bet she's good," Brittany remarked.

Quinn rolled her eyes slightly; only Brittany would ask whether or not Rachel was a good singer. From what Quinn could make out, she sounded okay, but that didn't make it any less annoying. And why Rachel got up so early, she had no idea; from what she could tell, Rachel's classes were a little later in the day. Rachel was always still there when she left for class, and she usually got back a few hours after Quinn.

"What are you doing right now?" Brittany asked.

"I'm on my way to get coffee, and then I have class," Quinn said.

"When's your class?" Brittany asked.

"It's from ten to eleven-fifteen," Quinn answered.

Quinn suddenly heard shuffling on the other side, followed by a series of loud bangs, which made her hold the phone away from her ear. When she put it back to her ear, she could hear the muffled sound of whatever Brittany was doing.

"Brittany?" Quinn said when her friend didn't say anything else. "Britt!"

"Yeah, sorry," Brittany said. "Hold on."

"What are you doing?" Quinn asked.

"I'm putting my shirt on," Brittany said, her voice becoming muffled for a moment.

"Why are you putting on your shirt?" Quinn asked, knowing Brittany didn't really have anywhere to be.

"Because I'm going to meet you," Brittany replied.

"By the time you get here, it'll be almost time for class," Quinn said.

"I know, but you only have one class, don't you? Brittany asked. "I can wait and we can go to lunch."

Quinn hadn't really planned on going to lunch between classes—she was just going to grab something after her last class—but she didn't want to disappoint Brittany. She figured it was the least she could do. Brittany had really gotten the worst deal out of everyone. She hadn't done anything wrong, but yet she'd still lost Quinn, one of her best friends, as a roommate.

"Yeah," Quinn said after a moment. "We can do that."

"I'll be there as soon as possible," Brittany said. "You're going to the usual place?"

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"Okay, bye," Brittany said, ending the call before Quinn could say anything.

Quinn shook her head but had a smile on her face, nonetheless. She'd been annoyed all morning and was ready to tell Rachel off, but talking to Brittany seemed to calm her. A lot of people may not understand their friendship, but she needed someone like Brittany in her life. She and Santana both did. She often knew just the thing to say or do to calm them down when they were on the verge of murdering someone. Sometimes quite literally in Santana's case, whereas Quinn was more likely to know exactly what to say to hurt them the most—a trait she seemed to have inherited from her father.

Since she knew Brittany wouldn't be there for at least twenty minutes, Quinn decided to make a detour to the nearby bookstore. Even though she already had a lot to read for her classes, she couldn't resist going in and browsing. Plus, she had a feeling she was going to spend a lot of time in her room to avoid being around Rachel, so she would have plenty of time to get everything read.

* * *

Quinn ran her hand through her hair in frustration, and then looked up from her book, staring at the door. She was trying to study, but Rachel was singing in the living room, making it impossible to concentrate. She thought about going to the library, but the snow was pouring down outside and she really didn't want to have to walk in it. There were already five or six inches on the ground and it was only supposed to get worse throughout the evening.

She'd tried putting on her headphones and listening to music, but she could still hear Rachel over it. And Brittany may have been right about her being a good singer—even Quinn would admit that Rachel had an amazing voice—but that didn't make the situation any better. She still wanted to go into the living room and throttle the brunette.

When Rachel's singing came to an end, Quinn breathed a sigh of relief. She finally stopped glaring at the door and pulled her textbook a little closer. She couldn't even remember the last thing she read, so she flipped back a page and began rereading the chapter. Just as she began to highlight one of the sentences, though, Rachel's voice rang out once again. Quinn easily recognized the beginning to Bleeding Love, and although it was better than the songs Rachel had been singing, she threw down her highlighter and stood up.

She walked over to the door, ripping it open, and walked into the living room. Rachel was standing near the window—the area the brunette liked to call her studio—and seemed oblivious to Quinn's sudden presence. Or if she was aware that Quinn was staring at her, she didn't show it. It wasn't until the song was near the end that Rachel's eyes darted over to her.

"Quinn, hello," Rachel said as the music came to a close.

"Yeah, hi," Quinn replied.

"I asked a fellow NYADA student to provide me a recording of a selection of potential audition songs," Rachel said, pointing toward her iPod, which was playing through some speakers. "Naturally, I prefer being accompanied live, but it's not always possible to find someone willing to come over whenever I need them. I thought about hiring someone who could come over and play the piano while I'm singing, but my fathers were against the idea."

"About that," Quinn said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm trying to study and it's really hard when you're singing."

"Oh, well, I apologize if I'm disrupting your studying, but it's important for me to rehearse," Rachel stated. "Singing is like anything else; the more you practice, the better you are going to be. My voice is my livelihood, and if I neglect it by not using it every day, it may not be at its optimum level. After all, you never know when you're going to be asked to sing at a moment's notice or who might hear you, so it's important for me to always be at my best. I hope you understand."

Quinn didn't say anything as she turned on her heel to walk back into her room, but she was stopped when Rachel asked, "Do you play?"

"The piano?" Quinn asked.

"Yes," Rachel replied. "Well, any instrument."

"A little," Quinn answered.

"Really?" Rachel asked, looking far too excited about it for Quinn's liking.

"It's been a long time," Quinn replied. "I haven't had a lesson since middle school. I couldn't put it on my college applications, so what was the point?"

"While I understand wanting to join extracurricular activities that can be used on a college application, I also think the arts are more important," Rachel said, shaking her head. "What did your parents think of you quitting?"

Quinn sighed. "They were happy."

Rachel frowned. "Why?"

"Because I wasn't the best," Quinn said, shrugging. "And I obviously wasn't going to be the best. In their eyes, it was a waste of of time and money."

Her parents weren't big into the arts to begin with, and the only reason they allowed her to take piano lessons was because her sister had. Frannie was a natural at it, whereas Quinn had to work twice as hard to even come close to being at her sister's level. Truthfully, one of the reasons she gave it up was because she was tired of the constant comparison to her sister. She was never going to be as good as Frannie, a fact she was constantly reminded of.

"Well, if you would like to take it up again, you're free to use the piano," Rachel said, smiling at her. "I'm afraid I don't have the time to play nearly as much as I would like, so it's really just sitting here, which I think is a shame."

"I'll keep that in mind," Quinn replied, though she had no intention of ever playing again. "I should get back to studying. Or trying to, anyway."

"I should be finished rehearsing in the next twenty minutes," Rachel called after her.

"Good," Quinn mumbled to herself.

* * *

Quinn groaned as she stepped off the curb and some freezing cold water splashed on her leg, running into her boot. She'd managed to stay relatively dry so far, so it figured it would happen just as she was about to reach the bookstore. She didn't even want to be out there—the snow was still coming down, though it had tapered off—but she was once again driven out of the apartment by Rachel.

This time, it wasn't her singing or running lines, but whatever she was cooking. Quinn had no idea what she was making, but whatever it was, it smelled terrible. She'd almost asked but thought better of it, figuring she would just get a lecture on the health benefits of whatever it was, and she really didn't want another lecture from her.

The warmth from the store hit her the moment she opened the door. It was a vast difference from the temperature outside, which was barely in the double digits, and she was thankful to finally be out of it as she walked into the bookstore. And not only was she thankful to be in a warm building, but the bookstore happened to be one of her favorite places. While it had all the new books you would find in any bookstore, it specialized in old and rare ones.

Quinn usually went to the bookstore at least once a week, but with the holidays, the move, and then school starting back, she hadn't been there in nearly a month. It was probably the longest she'd gone since discovering the store her freshman year, and she was curious how many new books they'd acquired during that time.

"Back again, I see."

Quinn looked over her shoulder at Shauna, one of the girls who worked there, and smiled. "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"I was beginning to wonder if something had happened to you," Shauna remarked with a smile.

Quinn lightly laughed. "Things got a little busy."

"School?" Shauna guessed.

"Partly," Quinn replied. "I also just moved into a new apartment."

"With or without the bitchy roommate?" Shauna asked.

"Without," Quinn said. "I had to get away from Santana."

"I'm shocked you didn't leave sooner," Shauna replied.

Brittany had once wanted to tag along when Quinn went to the bookstore, which meant Santana had gone with them as well. She and Shauna had immediately butted heads, though since the latter was at work, there wasn't much she could say or do. Santana had used it to her advantage and had decided to be even more difficult than she usually was. Quinn was embarrassed by the whole thing and never let Santana go with her again.

"I probably should have," Quinn said.

"How's the new roommate?" Shauna asked. "Or do you live by yourself?"

"I have a roommate and she's—" Quinn paused, trying to figure out the best way to describe Rachel. "She's a little strange, to say the least."

"This is New York City; nine times out of ten, they're going to be weird," Shauna said.

"Oh, I've definitely met my fair share of weird people here, but Rachel is something else entirely," Quinn replied. "She isn't weird in the way most people are weird. She's just—awkward. It's like she's never had a conversation with anyone before. I've never met anyone so long winded or anyone who is as incapable of taking a hint as she is. She doesn't pick up those cues that show someone is uninterested in talking."

"I've met a few like that," Shauna said, nodding. "Actually, I had a boyfriend like that. I had to dump him after a couple weeks or I was going to duct tape his mouth shut."

"If he was anything like Rachel is, I wouldn't blame you," Quinn remarked.

"Other than that, how's the apartment?" Shauna asked.

"The apartment is amazing," Quinn said, shaking her head. "My room is at least four times as big as my old one. Which is good, because whenever I'm there, I spend most of the time in it to avoid her."

Shauna laughed and then said, "Well, if you want another way to avoid her, Jess just left, so we're looking to hire someone. It's only part time, but you're in school, so I doubt you would want anything more than that. And you already know this place, so," Shauna shrugged, "think about it, okay?"

"I will," Quinn said, smiling.

She hadn't really thought about getting a job, but it would get her out of the apartment. And since she didn't have to pay rent for the next six months, she could save it for when she needed to get a new place. Maybe she could even save up enough to be able to live by herself. After all, she didn't seem to have the best luck when it came to finding roommates.

* * *

As Quinn walked out of her bedroom and into the living room, she thanked God for having the place to herself for a bit. She didn't have to worry about what conversation Rachel may try to have with her or that she was going to be lectured on the proper way to close a bag of potato chips. She could do whatever she wanted and could actually watch a movie in the living room without it being interrupted by Rachel's incessant talking.

She found it a little hard to believe, but Rachel had actually left to go on a date. Quinn could only figure that the guy had never met her before, because she couldn't imagine anyone willingly spending time with Rachel. But his loss was Quinn's gain; at least she didn't have to deal with the brunette for a while.

The television was on and her Netflix queue was on the screen, ready to go. She decided to go make some popcorn before she picked a movie, though, so she headed into the kitchen and pulled a bag out of the cabinet.

As the kernels began to pop in the microwave, Quinn turned and leaned her back against the counter. She looked around, admiring the apartment and thinking how lucky she was to live in such a nice place. It was hard to enjoy it while Rachel was there, but now that it was quiet, she could appreciate just how beautiful the apartment was. She knew even her parents, who were critical of everything, would approve of it.

When the popping began to die down, Quinn opened the door and carefully pulled the bag out, trying not to burn her fingers with it. She set it on the counter and went in search of a bowl. She still didn't know the kitchen that well, so she opened one cabinet after another, scanning the shelves for what she was looking for. She finally found one in the fifth cabinet and walked over, opening the bag, and dumping its contents into the glass bowl.

She tossed the bag in the garbage and walked over into the living room, sitting down on the couch with her legs curled underneath her. Setting the bowl on the cushion next to her, she picked up the remote from the table and began scrolling through her list of movies. She wasn't really sure what she was in the mood for, so she went through everything until she finally landed on something that looked appealing. But just as the movie began to play, Quinn heard keys jingling at the front door, and when she looked over, Rachel was opening it and walking into the apartment.

Quinn sighed to herself and then asked, "What are you doing back so soon?"

"Unfortunately, my date decided not to show up," Rachel said, taking her coat off, and hanging it next to the door.

"Didn't you say you weren't supposed to meet until seven?" Quinn asked, looking at the clock, and seeing that it was only about seven-thirty.

"Yes," Rachel said. "I waited until a quarter after seven and then I left. Punctuality is very important to me, and I wasn't going to wait around on someone who obviously doesn't value my time."

"It is snowing," Quinn pointed out.

"That is true, but he should have taken that into account and adjusted accordingly," Rachel replied. "A little weather is no excuse."

"Right," Quinn said, shaking her head. "I'm just going to go to my room."

"Is that Mystic Pizza?" Rachel asked as Quinn picked up the remote to turn it off. "I love this movie." Rachel sat down next to her and looked over at her. "Did you now there is an actual Mystic Pizza in Mystic, Connecticut? The first time I watched it, I tried to convince my fathers to take me there, but they had their hearts set on Paris."

"How terrible," Quinn said, rolling her eyes.

"It was," Rachel replied, obviously not catching her sarcasm. "I've never really been one to enjoy going to museums, so Paris was rather boring to me since that's all my fathers wanted to do. Fortunately, the food made up for it a bit. Have you ever been?"

"No," Quinn answered.

"I think you would enjoy it," Rachel commented. "I mean, I know we haven't known each other that long, but you seem like someone who would love going to museums."

Quinn hummed but didn't say anything. She did like going to museums—it was one of her favorite things about living in New York City—but she wasn't going to admit to Rachel that she was right about it.

"Anyway, I'm going to get some refreshments," Rachel said, smiling over at her. "I'll be right back."

Quinn tossed the remote onto the table and sat back with a sigh. She obviously wasn't going to get her quiet night alone now that Rachel had decided to join her.

* * *

When Quinn heard the doorbell ring, she immediately threw her pencil onto her book and stood. She walked out of her bedroom just as Rachel reached the door and began opening it. The column was blocking her view of the door, but she could hear Brittany saying hi, followed by Rachel introducing herself. She hadn't told Rachel she was having anyone over, not wanting to give her a chance to say it wasn't a good time, but if she was surprised by Brittany being there, she didn't show it.

It was Saturday, so according to Rachel's rules, it wouldn't be a problem, but Quinn never knew if she was going to suddenly change the rules. She'd avoided Brittany coming over for as long as she could, though. Nearly every time she talked to her friend, she asked when she was going to get to see her apartment, and Quinn had finally relented, not wanting to see the look of disappointment again whenever she told her another time.

"Wow," Brittany said as she walked through the front door.

"I know; it's amazing, isn't it?" Rachel asked. "My fathers certainly outdid themselves when they surprised me with this apartment."

"You're really lucky you get to live here," Brittany said, looking over at Quinn with a smile.

"Let me take your coat," Rachel offered.

"Oh, yeah," Brittany replied, pulling her coat and gloves off but leaving her knit rainbow hat on her head.

"Make yourself at home," Rachel said, smiling over her shoulder as she put up Brittany's things. "Any friend of Quinn's is more than welcome here."

"Hey, Quinn," Brittany said, wrapping her arms around the blonde, hugging her tightly. "Why didn't you tell me the place was so awesome?"

Quinn shrugged. "I thought I did."

Brittany shook her head. "Yeah, but this is _really _awesome."

Quinn couldn't argue. Not only was it huge, but it had been decorated nicely, too. Most of the furniture was off-white and there were accents of dark red and brown around the room. There was a lot of open space, which Quinn appreciated because it helped her feel less claustrophobic, and one of the walls was almost entirely made up of windows.

"Are you hungry, Brittany?" Rachel asked, looking over her shoulder as she walked toward the kitchen. "I'm making dinner and there's plenty for everyone."

"Actually, we were—"

"I'm starving," Brittany said, interrupting Quinn.

"Wonderful," Rachel replied. "You came just in time; it should be ready in ten minutes, plus the time it'll take it to cool. You wouldn't want to burn your mouth, after all. I hope you don't mind that it's a vegan lasagna; tofu and spinach lasagna to be exact."

Brittany shrugged. "I've never had it before."

"Well, as they say, there's a first time for everything," Rachel replied, smiling.

"It smells good," Brittany said, following Rachel toward the kitchen.

Quinn sighed to herself as she watched Brittany sit down at the island. This wasn't what she was planning to do that evening. She figured Brittany would come over, they would order pizza or Chinese—Brittany's favorites—and then they would watch a movie on her laptop. She had no intention of involving Rachel in any of it. She just wanted to spend the night with her friend and get a break from dealing with Rachel for a few hours.

Reluctantly, she walked over and joined Brittany and Rachel in the kitchen. She sat down next to Brittany, glancing over at her friend before looking at Rachel, who was explaining the benefits of a vegan diet.

"Not to mention how terribly the animals are treated," Rachel continued. "Not only is it a healthier diet for us, as human beings, but we wouldn't be slaughtering innocent animals. If you're interested, I do have some literature on the topic."

"She's not," Quinn answered.

Brittany nudged her elbow into Quinn's ribs, causing her to grunt slightly at the jab. "I would, but San fixes dinner most of the time and I don't think she'd want to do it."

"Well, if you ever change your mind simply ask and I would be happy to provide you with a few books on the subject," Rachel said. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to wash up a bit before we begin eating."

Rachel bent down, looking into the oven window, and nodding to herself, clearly pleased with whatever she saw. She then looked over at Quinn and Brittany with a smile before tucking her hair behind her ear and heading toward her room.

"I like her," Brittany said as soon as Rachel's bedroom door was closed.

"That's because you don't have to live with her," Quinn replied.

"She's nice," Brittany said.

"She's annoying," Quinn stated.

Brittany didn't say anything else; instead, she just stared at Quinn, who sighed after a few moments and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" Brittany asked.

Quinn shook her head. "Never mind."

"Are you going to join us for dinner, Quinn?" Rachel asked, coming back into the room.

"Do I have a choice?" Quinn asked under her breath, rolling her eyes when she received another nudge from Brittany. "I guess."

"Wonderful!" Rachel replied. "It'll be a girl's night!"

Quinn rolled her eyes and looked over at Brittany. "This is your fault."

"Be nice," Brittany whispered.

Quinn huffed and whispered back, "I'll be nice tonight, but I still think she's annoying, and nothing is going to change that."


	5. Help

**Chapter 5 – Help**

Quinn stifled a yawn as she poured some milk into her bowl of cereal. Once again, she had woken up early, several hours before her alarm was supposed to go off. This time she woke to a silent apartment, but it was like her body knew it was coming. Sure enough, two minutes later, she could hear Rachel singing in the shower. Instead of lying there, she just got up, knowing it was pointless to try to fall back asleep when Rachel was awake.

"Good morning!" Rachel greeted whenever she walked out of her bedroom and saw Quinn standing in the kitchen.

"Hi," Quinn unenthusiastically replied.

She really didn't understand how Rachel was always so bright-eyed and chipper in the morning. They usually went to bed around the same time, but Quinn woke up feeling like crap while Rachel always looked completely refreshed. She found Rachel annoying all the time, but since Quinn was definitely not a morning person, she found her even more intolerable, especially whenever Rachel came into the room looking like she'd had a perfect night's sleep.

"You know, I make breakfast every morning and I wouldn't mind sharing," Rachel said, scrunching her nose up as she looked at Quinn's bowl of cereal.

"I'm fine," Quinn replied.

"It would be much healthier," Rachel remarked.

"I like cereal in the morning," Quinn said with a light huff.

"Which I understand, but—"

"But what?" Quinn interrupted in annoyance. "It's just cereal."

"The cereal isn't the problem," Rachel replied. "Not that it's that great for you—it's usually laden with sugar and chemicals that have been known to cause cancer—but you should really rethink drinking milk. Do you know that humans are the only species who drink the milk of another animal? It's unnatural; our bodies weren't made to drink milk after infancy and it can be detrimental to your health. The cows are given growth hormones, which find their way into the milk you drink, not to mention the other things that can be in it like feces and antibiotics."

Quinn's spooned hovered over her cereal as she stared at Rachel. She definitely didn't need a lecture that morning and didn't need to hear about feces in milk.

"And if you're not concerned with your own body, you should at least think about the poor cows who live in cramped, inhumane conditions their whole lives," Rachel added. "Have you ever tried a milk alternative? There are many different types: coconut, rice, almond, cashew, and my personal favorite, soy. You can find them at any store, usually around the same area as your dairy milk, so it wouldn't even be an inconvenience."

Quinn sighed and put her spoon down with a roll of her eyes, hoping Rachel would stop talking about the dangers of milk. Plus, she'd lost her appetite the moment Rachel mentioned cow poop.

Quinn stood and walked over to the garbage, dumping what was left of her cereal into the bag, and taking the bowl to the sink. As she began washing her bowl, Rachel walked over to the refrigerator and started pulling out the ingredients for whatever she was going to make. When Quinn glanced over at Rachel, she had a smile on her face, obviously pleased with herself. Quinn narrow her eyes at the other girl, annoyed that she had managed to ruin both her sleep and her breakfast.

"I'm going to make a tofu breakfast burrito; would you like me to make you one as well?" Rachel asked. "I can assure you it will be delicious. It has spinach, tomatoes, and black beans in it, along with the obvious tofu. It's one of my specialties."

Quinn shook her head. "I'll just grab something on the way to class."

"You don't have class until ten, am I correct?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied as she set the clean bowl in the dish drainer and wiped her wet hands on one of the towels.

"It's just that breakfast is the most important meal of the day," Rachel stated. "If you don't get something until you're going to class, it'll be hours before you eat, and it's really not healthy to wait that long."

Not for the first time, Quinn found herself staring at Rachel, wondering if she was for real. Quinn had met some odd people in her life, but Rachel was definitely the strangest. She wondered if Rachel was like that with everyone or if she was just like that with her. She also sometimes wondered if the whole thing was part of some social experiment that she'd unwittingly signed up for whenever she agreed to move into the apartment.

"Fine," Quinn said, walking over to the cabinet, and pulling out a breakfast bar, which she held up for Rachel to see. "Happy?"

"I am," Rachel replied with a smile. "Thank you."

Quinn resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she began walking toward her room. When she was a few steps away from the door, though, Rachel called out her name. Quinn stopped with a sigh and turning around, asking, "Yeah?"

"Never mind," Rachel said after a moment's pause, shaking her head and then smiling at her before turning back to the kitchen.

* * *

When Quinn walked into her twelve-thirty class, the room was empty, but that was nothing unusual, especially not that semester. She always liked to be there early, but now that she was avoiding the apartment as much as possible, she was almost always the first one to class. She had been leaving the apartment earlier and earlier every morning, making it to campus with sometimes an hour to spare, and then found herself going to the library after her last class just to delay going back.

"And here I thought I'd be the first one here today."

Quinn looked up at Jack as he walked into the room. "I was supposed to meet Brittany, but something came up."

"How's the roommate situation going?" Jack asked, setting his messenger bag on the table, and taking the seat next to Quinn.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "She's still driving me nuts."

"What's she doing now?" Jack asked. "Did you get another milk lecture?"

"No, but I wouldn't be surprised if I find a pamphlet in my room one of these days," Quinn replied. "She saw me eating cereal this morning, but I left the kitchen before she could say anything. Thankfully." Quinn shook her head. "I've thrown it out the past two mornings after having to hear talk about the mistreatment of cows in the dairy industry."

"She is right, you know," Jack said.

"That doesn't mean I want to hear about it over breakfast," Quinn replied.

"Is she still singing?" Jack asked.

"Every morning," Quinn replied. "And usually in the evening, too."

"Are you going to move out?" Jack asked.

Quinn shook her head. "If I can put up with Santana for years, I think I can live with Rachel for a few months."

As much as Rachel annoyed her, living rent free for six months was too good of an opportunity to give up. It was the perfect chance to save up some money, so she wouldn't have to be so worried that her parents may cut her off. Any time they didn't agree with something she did, they would always bring up the fact that they were paying for her apartment. At least if she had some money saved up, she wouldn't be so dependent on them in case they decided to no longer support her.

Jack laughed. "I kind of want to meet this girl."

"No, you don't," Quinn said, rolling her eyes. "Not only does she have no social skills, but it'll hurt your eyes to look directly at her."

Jack laughed even harder, shaking his head. "So, she's hideous?"

"Her clothes are," Quinn replied. "She wears plaid skirts and animal sweaters most of the time. Last week she wore purple overalls that looked like they were made for a toddler." Quinn shook her head. "Someone really needs to teach her how to dress."

"Maybe you could," Jack suggested.

"I'm pretty sure I'd kill her if I had to go shopping with her," Quinn replied.

"You would probably get a lecture on sweatshops and organic cotton," Jack said with a laugh.

"I'm sure I would," Quinn replied.

"Seriously?" Jack asked. "I was just joking."

"Well, I'm not," Quinn replied.

He may have been joking, but there was no doubt in Quinn's mind that Rachel would lecture her about leather and fur. Quinn didn't really believe in wearing that sort of thing anyway, but she doubted that would stop Rachel from ranting about it.

Rachel really did need to learn how to dress better, though. Everything she had either looked like it belonged to a child or an elderly person. Quinn had no idea how someone could be so unfashionable, but Rachel always managed to look ridiculous. Her skirts weren't so bad, but it was the sweaters she wore with them that made it look like the clothes belonged to a grandmother rather than a college student. But Quinn wasn't going to be the one to change that; she wasn't going to voluntarily spend more time with Rachel than she had to.

"So, what are you going to do about her?" Jack asked. "I mean, if you're not going to move out."

"Nothing," Quinn said with a sigh. "What can I do?" Quinn shrugged. "It's her apartment."

"Do you think she would kick you out?" Jack asked.

"I don't know," Quinn replied. "But the roommate agreement made it very clear that it's _her_ apartment. Who knows what she would do if I asked her to stop singing in the morning. I really don't want to have to move back in with Santana, and I'm sure Santana wants me to move back even less."

"So, you're just going to have to suffer?" Jack asked, looking slightly amused.

Quinn gave a slight shrug and said, "I don't really have any other choice."

* * *

The moment Quinn opened the refrigerator door, she heard Rachel's footsteps coming into the kitchen. She had no idea where Rachel had come from—she'd checked to see if she was in the living room and it was empty—but she wasn't really surprised at her sudden appearance. Rachel seemed to pop up out of nowhere a lot of the time.

"Are you taking a study break or are you done for the evening?" Rachel asked.

"Just taking a break," Quinn replied.

"Are you hungry?" Rachel asked. "I was thinking about ordering out if you would like to join me."

Quinn pulled out a container and held it up. "I was going to heat up some leftovers."

"Wouldn't you rather something fresh?" Rachel asked, scrunching up her nose at the box of Chinese food. "There's a restaurant a few blocks down that makes the most amazing pizzas. I was going to order one; we could split it if you would like."

Quinn shook her head. "I—"

"A freshly baked pizza has to be a more appealing option than reheated Chinese food," Rachel interrupted.

Quinn sighed as she looked at Rachel. After a few seconds, she gave a slight nod and tossed the Chinese food back into the fridge. As she closed the door and looked at Rachel again, she couldn't help feeling like she was going to regret her decision. Rachel, however, looked thrilled.

"What would you like on your half?" Rachel asked, walking over to the drawer next to the fridge, and pulling out a menu. "My personal favorite is their garden pizza."

"That's fine," Quinn replied.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked. "I can ask them to put anything you want on it."

"Yeah," Quinn said.

"Since I don't eat dairy, I obviously don't get mozzarella, but I can ask them to put it on your half if you would like," Rachel offered.

"Please," Quinn said, having no desire to try whatever fake cheese Rachel ate.

"I'll place the order right now," Rachel said, giving her a smile. "Would you like anything else? Dessert or cheese bread or—"

"The pizza is fine," Quinn answered. "I'll be right back."

Quinn ran her hand through her hair as she walked toward her bedroom. She had only planned to take a short break, but that clearly wasn't going to happen now. She knew she could stay in her room until the pizza came, but that seemed a bit too rude. She may not like Rachel, but she tried to stay civil, not wanting to give the brunette a reason to ask her to move out. For the past few days she'd been fairly successful at avoiding spending unnecessary time with Rachel; unfortunately, that seemed as if it had come to an end.

"Yeah?" Quinn asked when there was a soft knock on her door.

"They said it would be about forty-five minutes," Rachel said after opening the door and sticking her head into the room. "How hungry are you? If you'd like, I could make a salad."

"I can wait," Quinn replied, shaking her head.

"Okay," Rachel said, clasping her hands in front of her. "Well, I'll let you get back to your studying. I'll let you know when dinner is here. Unless—" Rachel cleared her throat. "Would you maybe like to watch a movie while we're waiting? I mean, it's difficult to concentrate on an empty stomach, so maybe you could take a break and begin studying again after you've eaten."

Quinn looked down at her books for a moment and then looked back up at Rachel. She'd had the unfortunate experience of watching a movie with Rachel before, but the brunette looked so hopeful that she found herself saying, "Okay."

"Really?" Rachel asked, smiling widely.

"On one condition," Quinn said.

"What condition?" Rachel asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Please don't talk through the whole movie," Quinn said.

Rachel ducked her head. "I assume you're referring to the time we watched Mystic Pizza together. I do apologize. I sometimes get overexcited about things, and when that happens, I talk a lot without realizing it. I'm a verbose person by nature and my excitement only magnifies it."

"I hadn't noticed," Quinn replied.

Rachel let out a light laugh. "I promise I will be better this time."

Quinn nodded and asked, "What movie did you have in mind?"

"Well, I have been thinking about rewatching A Star is Born," Rachel replied. "The Barbra Streisand film from 1976, not the Judy Garland version. Have you watched the movie before?"

"No," Quinn said, not even sure if she'd ever heard of it before.

"It's settled then," Rachel replied with a smile. "I'll go put it in."

"I'll be there in minute," Quinn said.

Rachel nodded, giving her another smile before she turned and walked out of the room, leaving Quinn alone. With a sigh, Quinn turned toward her laptop, making sure she'd saved everything before shutting it. She picked up her notes, thinking about taking them into the living room, but she shook her head and tossed them back onto the desk. It was hard enough to study while watching something, and she knew it would be impossible with Rachel next to her.

* * *

Quinn closed her book and took off her glasses, setting them on her desk as she leaned back in her chair. She rubbed her eyes with a yawn, tired from all the reading she'd been doing. When she pulled her headphones out and tossed them onto the desk, she looked toward the door. At first, Quinn thought Rachel must be watching television, but after a few moments, she realized the other girl had people over.

She was a little surprised; she'd been living there for almost three weeks and it was the first time Rachel had brought anyone over. Quinn had begun to wonder if Rachel even had any friends. The only people Rachel ever talked about were her fathers and some nameless people from her classes. Quinn couldn't remember her ever mentioning a friend, but she evidently had some, because it sounded like there were at least two other people currently in the living room with her.

Quinn stood and stretched before looking down at her water bottle with a sigh. She glanced at the door and then down at her empty bottle, hesitating for several seconds before finally picking it up. She really wanted to stay hidden in her room, afraid she'd get stuck in the living room with Rachel and her friends, but her need for water won out. So, reluctantly, she walked over to the door and opened it, stepping out of her bedroom.

As she walked toward the kitchen, she glanced over to the couch where Rachel was. There were three other people with her in the living room—a guy and two girls—who were sitting on the couch while Rachel was on the love seat. Her three guests were laughing and Rachel was smiling, though it looked like it was more out of politeness than actual happiness.

After filling up her bottle, Quinn set it on the island, watching Rachel and the three others. Rachel was being unusually quite, sitting back and listening rather than joining in on the conversation. As Quinn continued to watch them, Rachel finally spoke, but it was completely ignored by the other three in the living room, leaving Quinn to wonder if they were even friends with Rachel or if they were there for a different reason.

After several minutes, Rachel looked up, noticing Quinn for the first time. She looked back at the people on the couch and opened her mouth but closed it a moment later. Without saying anything, she stood from the loveseat, tucking her hair behind her ear as she began walking toward the kitchen. As she approached the island, she looked over her shoulder at her guests and then looked back at Quinn, giving her a slight smile.

"Did we interrupt your studying?" Rachel asked, resting her hands on the top of the island.

"No," Quinn replied. "I had my headphones in. I just came to get some water."

"Oh," Rachel said, looking down.

Quinn's eyebrow rose. "Why do you sound disappointed that you didn't interrupt me?"

"Oh, no!" Rachel quickly replied. "I am very happy that your studying was not interrupted. I just—" Rachel looked over her shoulder again and then turned around with a sigh. "It's nothing."

Quinn nodded and picked up her water bottle, but whenever she began walking back to her room, Rachel reached across the top of the island, grabbing her arm.

"Would you like to join us?" Rachel asked, quickly taking her hand off Quinn.

"I have an exam on Monday," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked. "I mean, you have all weekend to study. It's Friday night; couldn't you allow yourself one evening of relaxation?"

"I'm going out tomorrow night," Quinn said. "I told Brittany I would meet her, so—"

"So you have to study tonight," Rachel finished for her. "I understand."

"Yeah," Quinn said, turning once again to leave.

"Do you want me to ask everyone to leave?" Rachel asked.

"It's your apartment," Quinn said with a shrug.

Rachel had never been concerned about disrupting her studying before—or her sleep—so she didn't know why she was suddenly worried about it. Rachel, herself, had interrupted Quinn multiple times while she was trying to read for one of her classes or while she was working on an assignment.

"Yes, but I would hate to negatively impact your grade just because I had guests a few nights before your exam," Rachel rushed out.

"Do you want me to want them to go?" Quinn asked, cocking her eyebrow.

"I—" Rachel looked like she was trying to figure out what she wanted to say, but she finally closed her mouth with a sigh.

"Why don't you just ask them to leave if you don't want them here?" Quinn asked.

"I didn't want to appear rude," Rachel replied. "I don't have a lot of—" Rachel looked down, shaking her head. "Never mind. I'm sure they will leave soon enough."

Quinn nodded and began walking again, but as she stepped off the tile and onto the hardwood floor, she stopped. When she turned to look at Rachel, the brunette hadn't moved; she was still standing there, looking into the kitchen, her shoulders slightly slumped.

"On second thought, can you ask them to go?" Quinn asked, causing Rachel to turn around. "You're right. It's hard to study with all the noise."

Rachel immediately smiled. "Oh, yes, of course! I apologize and I will see that they leave right away."

Rachel turned, going back to the living room with a little more skip in her step, leaving Quinn shaking her head at Rachel as she walked toward her bedroom door.

* * *

Quinn made her way through the crowded room, looking around for any sign of Brittany. She'd received a text from Brittany saying she was inside, so Quinn knew she was there somewhere. It was packed and hard to see beyond a few feet in front of her, so Quinn stood on her tippy toes, looking around the room. Thankfully, Brittany was tall and dancing so vigorously that no one could get within a yard of her, making it easy to spot her.

As soon as she saw Brittany, Quinn shook her head but had a smile on her face, nonetheless. Her friend looked a little crazy at the moment, but she knew she was having fun. Of course, Brittany almost always managed to have fun, especially when there was dancing involved.

Quinn weaved her way through the people standing around until she could finally see Brittany. Several people were standing around watching Brittany, including two women who were giving her with haughty looks. Quinn stared at the taller of the two women with her most intimidating look, crossing her arms over her chest, and raising her eyebrow whenever she looked her way. It was a look she often used during her days as the captain of the Cheerios and it never failed to have its desired effect. The two women quickly dispersed, leaving Quinn with a slight smirk on her face. Unfortunately, the smirk was replaced with a scowl the moment she saw Santana.

"Quinn, you're here!" Brittany said, throwing her arms up.

"Yeah," Quinn replied, glancing over at Santana.

"Do you have a problem?" Santana asked.

Quinn rolled her eyes and then looked at Brittany. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"I was going to—"

"Now," Quinn replied in a low voice.

"I'll be right back," Brittany said, looking at her girlfriend.

Quinn walked a few yards away and then turned away, waiting for Brittany to catch up. When she did, she looked slightly guilty, unable to meet Quinn's eyes, and Quinn knew she'd been lied to. Brittany had promised her that Santana wouldn't be there, but she'd obviously been set up.

"I thought you said she had to work tonight," Quinn said, crossing her arms.

"She did," Brittany replied.

"Then why is she here and not at work?" Quinn asked.

"Someone called in and she had to go in early, so she got off early," Brittany answered.

Quinn sighed. "So why didn't you call me?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't come if you knew she was going to be here," Brittany replied.

"You're right," Quinn said.

The moment she saw Santana, she thought about turning around and leaving. That would mean spending the night at the apartment, though, and Rachel had been in a particularly chatty mood all evening. Quinn hadn't even been safe in her own bedroom; Rachel had knocked on the door at least four times to ask about this or that. Quinn had been trying to get some more studying in, but it was hard when Rachel was knocking on her door every hour.

"Let's just have fun," Brittany said, giving her a pleading look. "We can hang out like we used to."

Quinn shook her head. "You should have called me."

"Maybe, but you're here now," Brittany replied. "Please don't go. I haven't seen you in forever and I'm sure Santana misses you even if she doesn't say it."

"I doubt that," Quinn said, rolling her eyes.

"She does," Brittany insisted.

Quinn shook her head; she knew Santana didn't miss her. Santana probably hadn't given her a second thought since she moved out. She hadn't once tried to call or text her, and Quinn knew it was because Santana was happy she was gone.

"Are you going to stay?" Brittany asked, looking like she was going to begin pouting at any moment.

"I guess," Quinn said with a sigh. "For a little bit, anyway."

"C'mon, then," Brittany said, grabbing her hand. "I want to dance."

Quinn sighed again as Brittany pulled her toward the dance floor, where dozens of people were moving to the music, some a little more awkwardly than others. She knew she was probably going to regret staying—Santana was already giving her the evil eye—but she hated disappointing Brittany, not to mention the fact that the alternative was spending the night in the apartment. Although, with the way Santana was looking at her, she was beginning to think that may be the better option.


	6. It's Gonna Be A Long Night

**Chapter 6 – It's Gonna Be A Long Night**

Quinn tensed the moment she heard the keys in the door. She was tired of being cooped up in her room and had relocated to the living room while Rachel was gone for the evening. The brunette had only been away for a little over an hour and was supposed to be gone for another few hours, but it was obvious she was coming back early.

Quinn glanced between the front door and her bedroom door, wondering if she could grab her things and make it there before Rachel walked into the apartment. She knew she would be trapped if Rachel saw her there, making it impossible to read. Unfortunately, right at that moment, the front door opened and Rachel walked in. She was looked down and Quinn knew she hadn't seen her yet, but she also knew the moment she stood, Rachel would probably look up, so she sat back with a sigh and waited for inevitable.

She watched as Rachel hung her keys on the hook by the door and then slowly took her coat off, hanging it on the coat rack. Quinn didn't know why Rachel was home so early, but she could tell by her demeanor that something was wrong. She was usually energetic and happy, but as she put her scarf up, she looked as if she was tired and slightly melancholy.

"Quinn, hello," Rachel said when she turned around and noticed Quinn watching her.

"Hey," Quinn replied.

"Are you thinking of watching a movie?" Rachel asked, stepping down, and walking into the living room.

"No, I was reading," Quinn replied, holding up her book.

"Oh," Rachel said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "For school or for pleasure."

"School," Quinn answered.

Rachel nodded and looked down, clasping her hands together, and Quinn's eyebrow rose.

"I thought you were going to be gone," Quinn said.

"Yes, well, I had to make a slight change to my plans," Rachel replied. "I had one of the studios reserved for the evening, but there were people there when I arrived and then my partner didn't show." Rachel pursed her lips together and shrugged. "Unfortunately, some people are just not as dedicated as I am."

Quinn figured there was more to it than that, but she didn't ask. They weren't friends, after all; they were barely more than strangers who happened to live together, and that was perfectly fine with Quinn. She had never been the type to have a lot of friends, finding it hard to trust people. In high school, people wanted to be her friend because they wanted to be popular, which was something she'd quickly learned. Now, even though she was no longer the head cheerleader, she found it hard to change her ways.

"May I ask what you're reading?" Rachel asked after a few moments.

"Heart of Darkness," Quinn replied.

"I don't believe I've ever heard of it," Rachel said. "Is it any good?"

"Honestly, I hate it," Quinn replied. "It's one of those books my professor thinks is a brilliant piece of fiction, but I think it's boring, and this is the second time I've had to read it."

Rachel smiled. "Sometimes I'm thankful I never have to read for my classes. At other times, I think it would be kind of nice, though. There are a lot of books I would like to read one of these days, but it's hard to find the time." She shrugged. "If it was part of my curriculum, I wouldn't have any choice."

"Books are usually better when you're not forced to read them," Quinn said.

"I suppose that's true," Rachel remarked. "Maybe one of these days I'll be able to read all the books on my list."

"You have a list?" Quinn asked.

"Oh, yes," Rachel replied. "I've been adding to it since I was in middle school. It's a list of all the books I would like to read before I die. It's part of my bucket list."

"How many books are on the list?" Quinn wondered.

"I believe there are one hundred and twenty-seven books," Rachel replied. "I've only found the time to read three of them so far. As I said, it's hard to find the time between attending classes, vocal training, dance rehearsal, memorizing scripts and monologues, and planning for my future."

Quinn shook her head as she looked back down at her book. "I should really read this."

"Of course," Rachel said, standing up straighter as she looked down. "I need to find something for dinner, anyway." Rachel took a step but backtracked and looked at Quinn. "Have you eaten? Would you like me to order something for you as well?"

"I ate right after you left," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded. "Okay. I'll leave you to your book, then."

Rachel gave her a tight smile and then turned, walking toward the kitchen, leaving Quinn a little surprised. Rachel didn't usually leave her alone so easily.

* * *

"Back again, huh?"

"Yeah," Quinn said, glancing up at Shauna, and then looking back down at the book in her hands.

"That book's terrible," Shauna said, grabbing it from her, and picking up another one from the shelf. "Try this one."

Quinn's eyebrow rose. "The Drunken Botanist?"

"I figured you could use a drink since you hate your roommate so much," Shauna said with a shrug.

"I don't exactly hate her," Quinn replied. "She's just—Rachel."

"I take it she's still bugging you," Shauna commented.

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "I had to get out of the apartment because she was running lines. Again."

"What the hell is she running lines for?" Shauna asked.

Quinn shook her head. "I don't know. She said something about an audition."

Truthfully, she hadn't really been listening to Rachel when she was talking about it. Rachel had talked about it endlessly over breakfast, but Quinn was too busy trying not to fall asleep. Once again, Rachel had been singing in the morning, waking Quinn up before the sun had risen, only a few hours after she had gone to bed.

"Have you thought about that opening here?" Shauna asked. "It'd get you out of the apartment."

"I have thought about it, but I don't know," Quinn replied. "I have so much homework and I don't know if I would have the time. I'd hate to begin working here and then quit after only a month."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Shauna said, smiling. "C'mon, you know you'd love to work with me. After all, I'm awesome."

Quinn couldn't help but laugh. "I'll think about it."

"I think you said that last time," Shauna remarked.

"I probably did," Quinn replied, tucking the book under her arm.

"Well, you might want to hurry," Shauna said. "It won't be open forever." She craned her neck, looking over Quinn's shoulder. "I'll be right back."

Quinn nodded and Shauna walked off to talk to another customer. Quinn looked back at the row of books, picking up where she had left off, looking at each title and picking up the ones that caught her attention. She had plenty of books that she needed to read for class and another dozen that she wanted to read for pleasure, but she couldn't help looking through them. With so many to read and such little free time, she was extra picky about the books she chose, but by the time Shauna came back, Quinn had a second book under her arm.

"Another one asking for 50 Shades," Shauna said, rolling her eyes. "I can't wait until this fad is over and people start reading real books again."

"I don't disagree," Quinn remarked. "Finding my mother secretly reading it the last time I went home was one of the most traumatic events in my life."

"Why was she secretly reading it?" Shauna asked. "Would your dad not approve?"

"You have no idea," Quinn replied. "Russell Fabray would never let such filth in his house."

Shauna's eyebrows rose, and Quinn was thankful that she didn't press for details. Quinn really didn't like talking about her family, especially with someone she would barely classify as a friend. She rarely even talked about it with Brittany and Santana, and they were her two closest friends. Although, sometimes she found it easier to talk about her parents with the people who didn't know her best.

"Have you read it?" Shauna asked.

Quinn hummed, looking up from the book she was eyeing. "Oh, no. Santana did, though."

"What did she think?" Shauna asked.

"She said it would have been better if it had lesbians in it," Quinn replied, shaking her head. "Of course, she says that about everything."

Shauna shrugged. "As much as I hate to agree with anything _she_ says, she does have a point. Although, I don't think anything could save that book"

"Probably not," Quinn agreed.

"What are you doing this Friday?" Shauna asked.

"I think Brittany's coming over," Quinn replied with a shrug.

"Well, if you two are looking for something to do, we're having a poetry reading here," Shauna said, picking up a flyer from a nearby table. "I don't know if that's your friend's thing, but I figured it would be right up your alley."

Quinn nodded as she took the flyer. She knew it wasn't exactly anything Brittany would normally choose to do, but her friend wasn't picky when it came to the things they did. Brittany was usually just happy to hang out with Quinn or Santana regardless of where they were or what they were doing.

"It starts at seven," Shauna added. "It'll probably last a few hours. You should definitely come; I think you'll love it."

Quinn nodded again and said, "I'll see what Brittany has planned."

* * *

"You look tired."

"And hello to you," Quinn said, setting her bag down next to the chair before sitting down.

"Oh, hi," Brittany said with a smile. "Why do you look so tired?"

"Because I am," Quinn replied.

"Rachel?" Brittany asked.

"Who else?" Quinn asked back.

Brittany frowned. "What's she doing?"

Quinn sighed, shaking her head. "What isn't she doing? She sings in the shower almost every morning, she's been running lines as she makes breakfast even though she seems to have the whole thing memorized, she sings every evening." Quinn huffed. "I have never met anyone so loud in my life and I swear she doesn't sleep."

"Have you asked her to stop?" Brittany asked.

"I've tried, but all she does is lecture me on the importance of practice," Quinn said, rolling her eyes.

"Maybe if you tried talking to her again—"

"I told you, I already tired!" Quinn said a little more forcefully than she'd meant.

Quinn was pretty sure the sleep deprivation was making her moodier than usual. She'd noticed she had been snapping at people more and more, particularly on the nights she went to bed late. She had been trying to go to bed early, but it wasn't possible when she had homework to finish. Rachel was so distracting in the evening that she sometimes had to wait for the other girl to go to bed before she could really focus, especially when she was working on a paper. But that meant she was sometimes only sleeping for a couple of hours before Rachel's singing would wake her up in the morning.

"I'm sorry," Quinn said when Brittany stayed silent. "I'm just really tired. You know how I can be when I don't sleep well."

Brittany nodded. "I know. I just think if you tried to talk to Rachel that she would be better about everything. She seemed really nice and I don't think she's doing it on purpose."

Quinn sighed; she had tried to talk to Rachel, but it was hard when she could so easily kick Quinn out if she wanted to. She didn't want to make too big of a deal about it even though it was driving her crazy. If the circumstances were different, she wouldn't hesitate in telling Rachel to stop, but she wasn't the one with the power in this situation. Rachel was the one with all the control; Quinn was just living there. And Quinn hated that. She hated having so little control over the situation. She hated being so powerless.

"Where's our waitress?" Quinn asked, realizing no one had come around, and they had no menus.

"Oh, I ordered for you," Brittany replied. "I hope you're not mad, but you always get the same thing, so I thought it'd be okay. I mean, you said you didn't have a lot of time, and—"

"It's okay," Quinn said, interrupting her friend. "Thanks."

"So, why don't you have much time this morning?" Brittany asked. "You didn't say in your text."

"I have a few chapters I need to reread before my first class," Quinn answered. "I read it last night, but Rachel was singing some song over and over." Quinn shook her head. "I have a quiz over it today, so I need to make sure I can remember it."

"What was she singing?" Brittany wondered.

"I don't know," Quinn replied. "Something about not raining on her parade."

Quinn had no idea why Rachel felt like she needed to rehearse so much. From what she could tell, Rachel knew every word to the song, and she sang it perfectly. Not that Quinn would ever say it to anyone, but she could now see why Rachel was so confident that she would be a Broadway star one day. Rachel had an amazing voice, and Quinn found it hard to concentrate whenever she was singing in the evening. It was different than in the morning; when Rachel was singing in the shower, it was muffled and more of an annoyance than anything. In the evening, though, she could hear Rachel loud and clear, and there was no doubt that the brunette was talented.

Brittany furrowed her eyebrows for a moment, and Quinn could tell she was thinking. "Is it a new song?"

"I doubt it," Quinn replied. "I think it's from one of those old musicals she's always watching."

Brittany hummed and then shrugged. "Is it okay with her if I come over on Friday?"

"It's fine," Quinn said even though she hadn't asked Rachel and wasn't going to. "Actually, I was going to ask if you have anything planned for that night."

"Not really," Brittany said. "Why?"

"There's a poetry reading that I thought might be interesting," Quinn replied. "I don't know if you want to go, but if you do, we can go. Shauna invited us."

"Is that the girl from the bookstore?" Brittany asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"Sure," Brittany said with a shrug. "And maybe Rachel would want to come with us."

Quinn really hoped not, but she didn't say anything, knowing Brittany would just tell her she needed to be nicer. That was easy for Brittany to say, though; she didn't have to live with Rachel.

* * *

The moment she heard Santana's voice coming from the living room, Quinn groaned to herself. She'd assumed Brittany would be coming alone considering the current state of Quinn and Santana's friendship, but it seemed as if she had brought her girlfriend along. It was the second time she'd done it and Quinn knew exactly what she was trying to do. She wanted her and Santana to become friends again, but it was unlikely to happen.

Quinn put her hand on the doorknob but hesitated a moment. She really didn't want to deal with Santana right now, but she couldn't just hide in her room. She may not like Rachel very much, but she wasn't mean enough to let her deal with Santana on her own. So, reluctantly, she opened the door and headed out of her room, walking over to the other three, who were still standing just inside the front door.

"Hello, Quinn," Rachel said, noticing her before Santana and Brittany had. "I was just getting to know your friend here."

"Hi," Brittany said, giving her a guilty smile.

"Hey," Quinn replied, glancing over at Santana, who had a slight smirk on her face.

"So, what time do you want to leave?" Brittany asked.

"Actually, I've changed my mind," Quinn said, glancing over at Santana again. "Why don't we stay here?"

As much as she'd like to go to the poetry reading at the bookstore, it would be a terrible idea to take Santana there. She already didn't get along with Shauna, and Quinn knew she would do her best to embarrass her. Quinn could easily imagine her talking loudly about how much she hated everything or how boring it was. Unfortunately, that meant Rachel was going to have to deal with Santana all evening, but Quinn figured it was better than a whole room being subjected to Santana's attitude. Of course, Brittany was probably going to invite Rachel to come along, so there was a good chance she would have to deal with Santana either way.

"Are you sure?" Brittany asked. "I thought you wanted to go."

"It'll be boring," Quinn replied. "Why don't we watch a movie, instead?"

"Where were going?" Rachel asked.

"Quinn wanted to go to this poetry thing at the bookstore," Brittany answered.

"Oh, that doesn't sound boring," Rachel said. "It certainly sounds like something you would enjoy. Why did you change your mind?"

"I just don't feel that great," Quinn lied.

"Whatever," Santana said, sounding bored by everything.

"Can we order pizza?" Brittany asked. "I'm hungry."

"I have some takeout menus over here if you would like to pick something out," Rachel said, walking over to the kitchen, and opening one of the drawers. "I highly recommend choosing from the top menu; they have the best pizza in the city."

"Thanks," Brittany said, smiling at Rachel when she handed her the menus. "Help me pick, San."

Brittany grabbed Santana's hand and pulled her toward the living room, leaving Quinn and Rachel alone. As Quinn watched them walked away, she sighed to herself, wondering why Brittany ever thought it was a good idea to bring Santana along.

"Is everything okay?" Rachel asked.

"Fine," Quinn lied.

"Quinn, I'm aware that I don't know you very well, but I can still tell when something is wrong," Rachel said. "Is it your friend? She was the one you were talking about in the interview, wasn't she? The one you were having problems with?"

"That's her," Quinn replied.

"Well, maybe it's a good sign that she's here," Rachel said, smiling. "Maybe she wants to mend your friendship."

Quinn sighed and then shook her head. "She's only here because Brittany wanted her to come. Brittany's the one who wants us to be friends again. Santana doesn't care."

"How do you know?" Rachel asked with a frown.

"Because Santana doesn't care about anyone but Brittany and herself," Quinn said in annoyance.

"Well, maybe she's changed," Rachel replied. "Maybe she's realized she misses having you as a friend." Rachel shrugged. "You never know; people can change."

"Not her," Quinn remarked. "You'll understand soon enough. Just—try to ignore her."

"Ignore her?" Rachel asked. "Why would I ignore her? That would be rude; she's a guest here, after all."

"Because she's rude and insulting," Quinn replied. "Give her a bit; you'll see what I mean."

"So, I guess when she called me a hobbit earlier—"

"Was not a term of endearment," Quinn said. "And knowing Santana, it won't be the last one. Like I said, try to ignore her."

"It's not as if I haven't encountered girls like her before," Rachel said. "After all, I did attend boarding school. The trick is to kill them with kindness and to never let them know you're bothered by the things they say."

Rachel gave Quinn a smile and then turned, walking toward the living room. Quinn shook her head as she watched the brunette approach Santana and Brittany, knowing it was going to be a very long night.

* * *

"Quinn?" Rachel said from the other side of the door, knocking on it.

"Yeah?" Quinn asked, wondering what she wanted.

"Your mother is on the phone," Rachel said, opening the door, and holding out Quinn's phone. "I apologize for answering it, but I heard it vibrating on the table. I wouldn't have answered it, but she began calling again, and I was afraid it may be an emergency."

Quinn sat back in her chair with a sigh; she'd deliberately left her phone in the living room because she figured her mother would be calling. She almost always called on Sundays after getting home from church. She usually just called to talk about the gossip she heard at church and to pry into Quinn's life in New York.

"Thanks," Quinn said, taking the phone from Rachel.

"You're welcome," Rachel replied with a smile.

Quinn waited until Rachel closed the door before putting the phone to her ear and saying, "Hello."

"Hi, Quinnie," Judy said, causing her daughter to roll her eyes at the nickname. "Who answered your phone? It didn't sound like either one of those roommates of yours."

"That was Rachel," Quinn answered, glancing toward the closed door.

"Is she a friend of yours?" Judy asked.

"Not exactly," Quinn replied. "I moved out; she's my new roommate."

"You moved out?!" Judy asked, sounding excited.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"When did you move?" Judy asked.

"A few weeks ago," Quinn said.

"That's wonderful!" Judy replied, much to Quinn's annoyance. "You know your father and I have always been concerned about their influence on you, so I'm sure he will be just as thrilled as I am to hear that you finally found somewhere else to live."

Her parents hadn't liked Brittany and Santana from the moment they met them. They didn't like Santana for obvious reasons and they didn't think Brittany was intelligent enough, her father often referring to her as 'that dumb girl'. Their dislike of Brittany and Santana had only intensified whenever they found out the two girls were dating. They had even sat down with Quinn to discuss her friendship with them and how it could reflect badly on the whole family if she associated with people like them.

"Now, tell me about the apartment and this new roommate of yours," Judy requested.

"The apartment is great," Quinn said. "It's not too far from school and it's a lot bigger and nicer than the last one."

"And rent?" Judy asked. "I don't know if your father is willing to pay any more. Although, now that you're no longer living with those girls, he may make an exception."

"He doesn't need to send me extra," Quinn said. "Rachel's parents bought the apartment for her, so rent isn't any more than it was."

Although she was technically not lying—rent _hadn't_ increased —Quinn couldn't help feeling a little guilty. But considering she lived under the constant threat of her parents no longer paying for her to live in New York, she would deal with the guilt.

"Wow," Judy replied. "That was very nice of her parents. "What do they do that they could afford to buy their daughter an apartment there?"

"I'm not really sure," Quinn said. "I think one of them is a manager of some kind."

"And what about your roommate?" Judy asked. "Do you two get along?"

"I guess," Quinn said. "She's—I don't know. She's hard to describe." Quinn cleared her throat. "Um, I should go; I have a lot to read by tomorrow and—"

"Say no more," Judy replied. "Your dad and I are about to go over to the Johnson's, anyway. I just wanted to see how you were doing since it had been a while since we talked."

"Yeah, I've been really busy," Quinn said.

"We'll talk next weekend," Judy replied. "Goodbye, Quinnie."

"Bye," Quinn said, hitting the button to end the call, and tossing the phone onto the open textbook in front of her.

Quinn ran her hand through her hair as she stood. She always felt frustrated after speaking to either of her parents. She was just thankful it was her mom who usually called and not her father.

"Is everything okay at home?" Rachel asked the moment Quinn opened her door.

"Fine," Quinn said, walking toward the kitchen. She stopped halfway there, though, and turned back around, walking to the living room. "If either of my parents ever call, can you just let it ring?"

"Does this only apply to your parents calling?" Rachel asked, furrowing her brows.

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "And you don't have to let me know they're calling."

"I understand," Rachel said with a nod. "But may I ask why you're avoiding your parents' calls?"

"It's complicated," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded again. "If you ever want to talk about, I'm here."

"Thanks," Quinn said, giving her a small smile.


	7. Surprises

**LaurenKnight13: It's funny you should mention that…**

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Surprises**

Quinn jumped, nearly knocking her book off the desk, when she heard Rachel suddenly scream in the other room. She figured the other girl probably just saw a bug or something, but she took off her glasses and stood up anyway. She opened the door and walked into the living room, looking around for Rachel. After a moment, she saw her standing by the door with two men, one of whom she was hugging. Quinn had seen the two men in some of the pictures Rachel had around the apartment and instantly recognized them as the brunette's fathers.

Since Quinn knew Rachel wasn't dying or anything, she turned around to go back into her room. Not only did she figure it would be best if she gave Rachel some time alone with her fathers, but she really wasn't in any hurry to meet them. She still had some studying to do, and with her luck, they would be just like their daughter. But just as she got to the door, she heard one of the men say, "And who is this young lady?"

Quinn stopped, knowing she'd been caught, and turned around. Rachel was leading the two men toward her with a wide smile on her face.

"Dad, Daddy, this is my new roommate, Quinn," Rachel said. "Quinn, these are my fathers, Leroy and Hiram Berry."

"Hello, Quinn," said the man that Rachel had indicated as Leroy.

"Hello, Mr. Berry," Quinn replied.

"Please, call me Leroy," he said with a smile.

Quinn nodded and then glanced at the other man. She could instantly see where Rachel had gotten her fashion sense from, but she'd obviously gotten her looks from her mother. She really didn't look like either of the men standing in front of Quinn, though she knew Hiram was Rachel's biological father. Rachel had gone into great detail about her family during the interview to become her roommate, so Quinn knew more than she ever cared to know about the circumstances surrounding Rachel's conception.

"Why don't we all go into the living room?" Hiram asked. "You can catch us up on everything happening at NYADA and we can get to know your new roommate!"

Quinn wanted to decline, but she figured she really didn't have a choice. They were the ones who'd paid for the apartment, after all. Studying would just have to wait until later. So, when Hiram put his arm around his daughter and began leading her into the living room, Quinn followed, sitting down on the love seat while the other three sat together on the couch.

"I want to hear all about your classes," Hiram said turning to his daughter once they were settled.

"Actually, why don't we get to know Quinn first?" Leroy said. "I'm sure she has better things to do than hang out with her roommate's dads."

"You're probably right," Hiram replied.

"It's fine," Quinn said, shaking her head. "I mean, I have some studying, but it can wait."

"Rachel told us you go to Columbia," Leroy said, looking over at Quinn.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"You're studying comparative literature, right?" Leroy asked.

"That's right," Quinn said with a nod.

"You must be really smart, then," Hiram remarked.

"I, uh—"

Quinn really didn't know what to say. She hated when people asked if she was smart. What could she really say? If she said yes, she just sounded conceited, but if she said no then people would always tell her to stop being so humble. It was something she was asked a lot by her parents' friends and she never knew how to respond.

"Quinn is _very_ smart," Rachel said when Quinn hesitated.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Hiram asked.

"I don't," Quinn replied.

"Ignore my husband," Leroy said, shooting a frown at Hiram. "We're not here to pry into your personal life."

"I was just asking a question," Hiram replied.

"A very personal question," Leroy argued.

Hiram sighed. "Fine, but I don't see the harm in asking if she has a boyfriend. It's a fairly routine question, and it's not as if she's going to think I'm asking because _I'm_ interested. I'm just making conversation."

"Dad, please," Rachel said.

Rachel may have sounded embarrassed by her dad, but Quinn could suddenly see where her personality also came from. Neither seemed to have much tact and they both liked to ask intrusive questions upon first meeting someone.

"You'll have to excuse my husband," Leroy said, giving Quinn a smile.

"Am I allowed to ask where she's from or is that too personal?" Hiram asked.

"I'm from Ohio," Quinn answered.

"Ohio?" Hiram asked. "That's where Leroy and I met. We both grew up there. In different towns, of course. We met when we were both attending Ohio State, and then we moved up here as soon as we graduated."

"Honey, I don't think Quinn needs to know about our lives," Leroy said with a laugh. "Actually, why don't we let her get back to her studying. I think we've kept her long enough."

Quinn nodded and quickly stood. She really did need to study, and if Leroy was giving her the opportunity go, she wasn't going to let it pass by.

* * *

For the first time in a while, Rachel's singing didn't wake Quinn up early; instead, it was her laughter and the sound of her and her fathers' voices. As much as it still annoyed Quinn, she was beginning to get used to getting up early. She hadn't even bothered to set her alarm for the past week; she knew she was going to wake up well before it went off. At this point, she was sometimes even waking up a few minutes before Rachel began singing in the shower.

After getting up and glancing at herself in the mirror to make sure her hair wasn't a complete mess, she walked out of her bedroom. The three Berrys were all in the kitchen with Leroy and Hiram at the stove while Rachel was chopping something up on the cutting board. They were all too distracted to notice Quinn, so the blonde walked to the bathroom rather than saying hello. As soon as she came out, though, Rachel looked up, meeting her eyes.

"Good morning, Quinn," Rachel greeted.

"Hey," Quinn said, walking toward the kitchen.

"Morning," Leroy replied.

"Are you hungry?" Rachel asked. "Daddy is making his famous blueberry pancakes."

Quinn shrugged as she sat down on one of the stools and Leroy laughing, saying, "I'm guessing you're not a morning person."

"Not really," Quinn replied.

"I don't think our daughter has ever slept past 6am," Hiram remarked. "Even when she was a child, she would always get up early. Summer, weekends—it didn't matter."

Quinn wasn't surprised; she had never met anyone who was as big of a morning person as Rachel. She seemed chipper and ready to go the moment she woke up. Quinn, on the other hand, was usually pretty cranky and took a while to fully wake up. Unfortunately for her, her high school cheerleading coach wanted them at school at the crack of dawn, and if they were late, they were off the squad. Since then, Quinn had done her best to avoid having to get up so early.

"Actually, that's not entirely true," Rachel replied. "I've slept past six when I've been ill."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "And how often is that?"

"Not very," Leroy answered, looking over his shoulder.

Rachel shrugged as she cut a strawberry in half. "It isn't my fault that I have an excellent immune system."

"How many pancakes do you want, Quinn?" Leroy asked.

"You don't have to make me any," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"Because you don't want one or because you think it's too much trouble?" Leroy asked. "I have more than enough batter, so it wouldn't be any trouble."

"And his pancakes really are the best," Rachel added.

"One is enough," Quinn said, relenting.

"And you like strawberries and grapes, right?" Rachel asked. "I'm fairly certain I've seen you consume both."

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"Perfect!" Rachel said. "I was going to add mango as well, but somebody refuses to eat it and doesn't want it mingling with the rest of the fruit."

"I don't know who you could possibly be referring to," Hiram said when his daughter gave him a pointed look.

"So, Quinn, what part of Ohio are you from?" Leroy asked, talking over his husband and daughter who had begun to bicker.

"Lima," Quinn replied.

"We've been through there," Leroy said, motioning to Hiram with the spatula in his hand. "Do you get back there much?"

Quinn shrugged. "I usually go once or twice a year to visit my parents."

"Did you go for Christmas?" Leroy asked.

Quinn shook her head. "My parents went to visit my sister."

"You have a sister?" Rachel asked. "I didn't know that.

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "She's eight years older than me."

"What's her name?" Rachel asked.

"Frannie," Quinn said after hesitating a moment.

"Are you two close?" Rachel asked.

"Not really," Quinn replied.

"Oh?" Rachel said, frowning. "Why not?"

"Why don't we start moving over to the table?" Leroy suggested, setting a plate of pancakes in front of Rachel.

"Okay," Rachel said, picking up the plate and the bowl of fruit she'd been working on.

Quinn breathed a slight sigh of relief. She really didn't like talking about her family, especially with people she didn't know very well. Thankfully, Leroy was more perceptive than his daughter, though. When Quinn glanced over at him, he gave her a smile and winked at her, and she knew he had deliberately derailed the conversation.

* * *

As soon as the professor dismissed them, Quinn closed her notebook and grabbed her bag from the floor. After she put her book and notebook inside, she reached into the front pocket, pulling her phone out. She had a message from Brittany asking if they were still going to meet that afternoon, so Quinn sent off a quick reply before putting the phone back and standing up.

"Interesting class, wasn't it?"

Quinn looked up to find Brandon, one of her classmates, looking at her. "I guess."

"Did you like Arcadia?" he asked.

"It was fine," Quinn replied. "I didn't love it or hate it."

"Indifferent to it, huh?" Brandon said with a smile.

Quinn nodded, wondering why Brandon was talking to her. They'd had several classes together before, but they had only spoken a handful of times. Quinn usually liked to sit near the front of the class and Brandon almost always sat near the back, so there hadn't been many opportunities for conversation. When she noticed how he kept fidgeting with the strap on his messenger bag, looking a little nervous, Quinn realized what he was probably about to ask.

"Yeah," Quinn said after a moment.

"Have you started reading Dorian Gray?" Brandon asked.

"I finished it, actually," Quinn replied.

"Wow," Brandon said, looking mildly impressed. "And here I think I'm doing good if I start reading it a few days before the deadline."

"I like to stay ahead of things," Quinn replied with a shrug.

"I can tell," Brandon replied. "So, umm, since you've already read Dorian Gray, what are your plans for this weekend?"

As soon as she noticed that he was nervous, she knew he was going to ask her out. She'd seen it plenty of times throughout high school and college, so she knew the signs. It was something she was thankful for; she hated being put on the spot, and it gave her enough time to decide whether or not she was interested.

"I don't really have any," Quinn said, lightly shrugging.

"So, you're free Friday night?" Brandon asked. "Because I was wondering if you'd be interested in doing something."

"Yeah, sure," Quinn replied.

Quinn wasn't entirely sure she was interested in Brandon, but she figured it couldn't hurt to go on a date with him. He was exactly the type of guy she would have gone out with in high school, which was the main reason she wasn't sure about him. He was good looking and he seemed nice enough, but she'd gone out with guys like him before and it hadn't ended well. On the upside, Brandon had to be smarter than the guys she had dated in high school.

"What's your number?" Brandon asked. "I'll message you and let you know where to meet."

Quinn gave him her phone number and then excused herself, so she could get something to eat before going to her next class. She wasn't overly hungry since Rachel's fathers had made breakfast again, but she knew she would be starving by the end of class if she didn't eat something. So, Quinn walked to the first floor and made her way over to the vending machine to grab a bag of chips.

"Well, that's not very healthy," she heard from behind when she pushed the button for the Doritos.

Quinn looked over her shoulder at Jack and rolled her eyes. "The last time I ate chips, I got a lecture from Rachel about GMOs."

Jack laughed as he walked up beside her. "Is there anything you're allowed to eat without getting a lecture about?"

"If there is, I haven't found it yet," Quinn replied. "Luckily, her fathers are here right now, so she's been out of the apartment a lot more. I was actually able to eat a hamburger yesterday without her disapproving looks."

"Her fathers?" he asked.

"She was raised by two men," Quinn said.

Jack nodded and said, "That's cool. What are they like?"

"One of them is okay," Quinn replied.

"And the other?" Jack asked.

"The other is an older, male version of Rachel," Quinn answered, opening the bag of Doritos.

She found Hiram a little annoying, although slightly less so than his daughter. Leroy, however, she actually didn't mind. He didn't talk all the time like Rachel and Hiram did and he seemed much more normal. Plus, he could take a hint and left her alone whenever she wanted to be alone.

"How long are they here?" Jack asked.

"I don't know," Quinn said, shrugging. "Hopefully not too much longer."

Even though she liked Leroy, she would be happy to have the apartment back the way it was. Rachel drove her nuts, but at least when it was just the two of them, things were a little quieter. Not a lot, but with Hiram there, it was like having two Rachels, and one Rachel was more than enough for Quinn.

* * *

"Hey," Quinn said, answering her phone when she saw that it was Brittany calling.

"Are you busy?" Brittany asked.

"Kind of," Quinn replied. "I'm trying to study for a quiz."

"Oh," Brittany said, sounding disappointed.

"Why?" Quinn asked.

"I was gonna see if you'd want to come over tonight, but I guess not," Brittany said.

"Sorry," Quinn replied. "Rachel and her dads have been listening to show tunes all day, so I haven't been able to study a lot."

Even if she hadn't been distracted all day, preventing her from studying, she still wouldn't have gone over to Brittany and Santana's apartment. She had to endure Santana's presence twice in the past few weeks and that was enough for Quinn. It hadn't been as bad as actually living with the other girl, but she was still very Santana.

"What kind of show tunes?" Brittany asked.

"I don't know," Quinn replied. "I just know that if I have to hear the words 'into the woods' again, I'm going to go insane."

"Well, you could always move back," Brittany said for probably the hundredth time since Quinn had moved out.

"You know Santana and I can't live together," Quinn stated.

Brittany sighed and then said, "I know. I just miss seeing you every day. I liked living with my two best friends, and it's not like you're happy there."

"No, but Santana and I would have eventually killed each other," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"That's not true," Brittany replied.

"Fine, maybe we wouldn't have killed each other, but we definitely would have eventually come to blows," Quinn said.

"Do you think you'll ever be friends again?" Brittany asked.

"I don't know," Quinn honestly replied.

She and Santana had always had a rocky friendship. Quinn would never admit it aloud, but the two were a lot alike in some ways, which is why they'd always clashed so much. This was different, though; she usually knew why they were fighting, but this time, she had no idea why Santana was being so antagonistic.

"Well, if you get done studying tonight, let me know," Brittany said.

"I will, but it's unlikely," Quinn replied.

"Bye," Brittany said.

"Bye," Quinn replied.

Quinn set her phone on her desk with a sigh. The music was still playing in the living room and she could hear Rachel's laughter. The music wasn't even that loud, but it was just loud enough to be a distraction. And, of course, she couldn't find her headphones, so she could block out the music coming from the living room with something more to her taste. She knew if she went and asked that Leroy would make his daughter turn it down, but Quinn was hesitant to do it.

Rachel always seemed like a happy person, but Quinn was beginning to wonder if she really was. The smile hadn't left Rachel's face since her fathers had come, and Quinn had noticed that it was different than her usual smile. She'd always assumed Rachel was happy considering her demeanor, but now she was wondering if it was just for show. And even though she didn't like Rachel very much, this was probably the first time she had seen the brunette truly happy and she didn't want to be the one to ruin it.

Quinn stood up and stretched before walking to the door and opening it. When she walked out of the bedroom, she glanced at Rachel, Leroy, and Hiram, who were sitting around the living room. As she walked toward the kitchen, Leroy let out a loud laugh, and Quinn looked over her shoulder at them. She had no idea what they were talking about, but Rachel had her face hidden behind her hands, obviously embarrassed by something. For a moment, Quinn thought about asking what they were talking about, but she quickly shook her head at herself and walked into the kitchen.

"There's some leftover Chinese food on the top shelf," Rachel suddenly said.

"God," Quinn said, jumping at Rachel's sudden appearance.

"Sorry," Rachel said, frowning slightly. "I assumed you heard me approaching."

"No," Quinn replied. "You always just seem to pop up out of nowhere."

Rachel laughed lightly. "I can assure you, it has never been my intention to sneak up on you." Rachel looked over her shoulder, into the living, and then looked back at Quinn. "Would you like to join us? You can hear many embarrassing stories from my childhood that I would rather my fathers never talk about."

"I'm studying for a quiz that I have tomorrow," Quinn replied. "I just came in for a snack." Quinn held up the apple she'd grabbed from the fridge. "Otherwise, I would."

Rachel nodded. "Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find us."

"Yeah," Quinn replied, nodding back.

Rachel gave her a smile and then turned, walking back into the living room, leaving Quinn in the kitchen. After watching Rachel for a moment, Quinn finally went back into her room, closing the door behind her.

* * *

Quinn turned slightly as she looked at herself in the mirror. She was torn between the navy dress she was wearing and the white one lying on her bed, but the longer she looked at herself, the more confident she was that she had the right dress on. Which was good since she was going to have to leave soon if she didn't want to be late for her date with Brandon.

She wasn't nervous about the date, but that was nothing unusual; she was never nervous when it came to dating. Boys had always been easy for her. She knew exactly what to say and do to get them interested and to keep them that way. The only thing she didn't really know how to do on a date was be herself.

In high school, dating had always been more of a game to her than anything. Being popular was everything to her back then, and dating the right guys was one of the ways she maintained that popularity. Not only did it help with her social status, but it also made her parents happy. Unfortunately, it never made Quinn happy. She didn't even like any of the guys she had dated; they were just a means to an end to her. They had their role and she had hers, and because of that, she'd never been herself.

Quinn knew how to play the perfect girlfriend and how to make it look like she and her boyfriend were the perfect couple. It was always just a show, though. Luckily for her, the guys she'd dated were always too oblivious to see through it. She'd quickly found out that high school boys were easily manipulated and she'd used that to her advantage. But now that she was in college, popularity didn't mean anything to her. She no longer cared what other people thought of her. She no longer had to hide who she was. Unfortunately, she'd spent so many years playing that role that she sometimes didn't even know who she really was.

Quinn glanced at the clock and then looked in the mirror one last time. She usually wore the white one on first dates, but the navy one was her newest dress, bought with the money her parents had given her for Christmas, and she hadn't had the chance to wear it yet. She still had enough time to change, but she turned and grabbed her handbag, deciding that the navy dress was the winner.

When she opened her door and walked out of her bedroom, she noticed the apartment was relatively quiet. It was the first time all week that there wasn't a lot of noise; for a moment, she wondered if everyone had left, but then Rachel walked out of her room. The brunette paused for a second when she saw Quinn, but then she began walking again, glancing at Quinn several more times as she walked into the kitchen.

"Did your dads leave?" Quinn asked.

"They decided to go out to dinner," Rachel said, looking up and watching Quinn as she approached the island.

Quinn nodded. "Why didn't you go?"

"I thought it would be best to give them some alone time," Rachel said.

Rachel gave her a smile, but Quinn could tell it was forced. She wondered why Rachel had really stayed home, but she wasn't going to ask. If Rachel didn't want to tell her, she wasn't going to press for an answer. After all, she didn't really care; she was just more curious than anything.

"So, may I ask where you are going?" Rachel asked after a few moments.

"I have a date," Quinn answered.

"Oh," Rachel said with a nod. "Is it with anyone special?"

"Just a guy from one of my classes," Quinn replied.

"Well, you look really pretty," Rachel said. "Whoever the guy is, he's very lucky."

"Thanks," Quinn replied.

"When is your date going to be here?" Rachel asked, turning around, and opening the refrigerator.

"Actually, I'm meeting him at the restaurant," Quinn replied.

"Oh," Rachel said, pulling some orange juice out of the fridge, her voice a bit higher than usual.

"What?" Quinn asked, wondering what Rachel's tone was about.

"Nothing," Rachel said. "It's just—it seems to me like he should pick you up. Assuming he is the one who asked you out. It only seems proper. But I'm sure it's fine." Rachel looked up at her and gave her a smile. "I hope you enjoy your evening, Quinn."

"Yeah." Quinn replied, furrowing her brows slightly. "Goodnight."


	8. I Don't Care

**Chapter 8 – I Don't Care**

Quinn sat back and ran her hand through her hair when she heard the light knock on her door. She was trying to get some last minute studying done since her professor loved to give quizzes nearly every class, so she thought about ignoring it. After a moment, though, she reluctantly stood up, walking over to the door and opening it to find Rachel on the other side.

"I apologize for the interruption," Rachel said the moment Quinn opened the door.

"What is it?" Quinn asked, keeping her tone neutral even though she was a little annoyed.

"My fathers are leaving and they would like to say goodbye," Rachel replied.

Quinn looked over Rachel's shoulder and saw the two men standing near the door with their suitcases. She really wasn't sure why they wanted to say goodbye—she really hadn't talked to them that much—but she nodded, nevertheless. Rachel took a step back and Quinn walked past her, glancing over her shoulder at the brunette.

"It looks like you're going to have the apartment to yourself again," Hiram said, getting Quinn's attention.

"Yeah," Quinn replied as Hiram smiled at her.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Quinn," Hiram said, pushing up his glasses. "You are certainly better than her last roommate."

"Actually, you never met my last roommate," Rachel interjected.

"Which one did we meet?" Hiram asked. "You know, the one that slept all day and I'm fairly certain stole a hundred dollars out of my wallet."

"That was Jessica," Rachel replied.

"Yeah, her," Hiram said, turning back to Quinn, pointing at her. "You're definitely better than her."

Quinn didn't really know how to take that, so she remained silent as Hiram turned to his daughter, giving her a hug. After watching them for a few seconds, Quinn looked over at Leroy, who looked back at her. He nodded his head toward the living room and began walking over to it, leaving Quinn with little choice but to follow.

"I won't keep you long," Leroy said, stopping next to the couch. "I just wanted to ask if you'll do me one favor."

"What favor?" Quinn asked.

"Look after my daughter," Leroy replied. "I know she can take care of herself—she hasn't lived with us since she was thirteen—but I worry about her. Just—look out for her, okay?"

Quinn opened her mouth, but she really didn't know what to say. She wondered if Rachel's dads were somehow under the impression that they were friends, but she couldn't see how. She and Rachel didn't exactly talk that much and were rarely even in the same room for more than thirty minutes.

"Take care, Quinn," Leroy said after a moment, giving her a smile. "It was wonderful meeting you."

"Yeah," Quinn said when Leroy clapped her on the shoulder as he walked away.

She frowned slightly as she turned around, watching Leroy give his daughter a hug. When he pulled away, he kissed Rachel's forehead and then then walked over, picking up his suitcase, and going over to Hiram, who was waiting by the door. Rachel followed him over to the door, where they both gave her one last hug before she opened the door for them and they walked out of the apartment.

When Rachel closed the door, she remained where she was for nearly a minute before finally turning around. Her eyes drifted over to Quinn, who had been watching her the whole time, but Rachel quickly looked away, ducking her head, and walking into the kitchen. As Rachel entered the kitchen and went over, opening one of the cabinet doors, Quinn turned and started walking across the living room to her bedroom. When she reached the door, though, she hesitated for a moment, looking over at Rachel, whose back was still turned to her.

Quinn wanted to walk into her bedroom and use the few minutes she had left to look over the rest of her notes. But instead of going into her room, she turned on her heel, groaning to herself as she walked toward the kitchen. She didn't even know why she was walking into the kitchen; it's not like she cared about Rachel or anything. Nevertheless, she stopped by the island with a slight huff, annoyed with herself for willingly stopping to talk to Rachel.

"Why didn't you go to the airport with your dads," Quinn wondered.

"They didn't want me missing class," Rachel answered, closing the cabinet door, but not turning around.

Quinn nodded. "Do you think they'll come again soon?"

"It's unlikely," Rachel answered. "They're both very busy, after all."

"Sounds like my dad," Quinn commented.

Rachel slowly turned around, clasping her hands together. "What did Daddy want to talk to you about?"

"Nothing," Quinn lied. "He just wanted to say goodbye."

"Oh," Rachel replied.

Quinn glanced at the time on the microwave and then looked at Rachel again. "I should—"

"Get to class, yes," Rachel interrupted.

Quinn nodded. "Yeah."

"Have a good day, Quinn," Rachel said, turning around, so her back was to Quinn again.

"Yeah," Quinn replied, frowning slightly to herself. "You too."

* * *

"Thanks," Quinn said when the barista handed her coffee to her.

Quinn turned, stepping to the side to avoid a couple who were practically making out in the coffee shop, and walked over to the table Brittany was already sitting at.

"What did you get?" Brittany asked.

"Hazelnut latte," Quinn answered.

"I wonder if they'd put hazelnut in cocoa," Brittany said, jiggling her cup.

"Probably," Quinn replied, taking a sip of her latte.

"Do you think it would taste like Nutella?" Brittany asked.

Quinn shrugged. "Maybe."

"Are you okay?" Brittany asked, looking at her with a frown.

"I'm fine," Quinn replied. "I'm just tired."

"Is Rachel still waking you up?" Brittany wondered.

"Kind of," Quinn replied. "I wake up early whether or not she's being loud. She did it so often that I became used to waking up before six every morning."

Rachel didn't actually wake her up that morning, but Quinn still blamed her for waking up five forty-five. It was Rachel's fault for getting her used to waking up so early. No matter how much she tired, she couldn't fall back to sleep even though the apartment was quiet. Rachel, on the other hand, had sleep much later than she usually did, which only annoyed Quinn further. She was tempted to get back at Rachel for all the times she woke her up by being loud, but she refrained from doing it.

"Are her dads still there?" Brittany asked.

Quinn shook her head. "They left yesterday morning."

"Oh," Brittany said, sounding disappointed. "I kinda wanted to meet them."

"Since they left, Rachel has been even weirder than usual," Quinn said. "Yesterday morning, she was quiet and would barely even look at me, but when I came home from class, she was acting like everything was fine."

"How do you know she was acting?" Brittany asked.

"I just do," Quinn answered. "When her dads were there she was different. I think she was actually happy. She pretends to be so optimistic and acts like everything is always great, but it's not. I'm pretty sure it's all an act, and I wish she would stop."

"Why do you care?" Brittany asked. "You don't seem to like Rachel very much."

"I don't care," Quinn replied. "It's just—maybe if she didn't act like everything was perfect, she wouldn't be so annoying to live with."

"I think you do care," Brittany argued.

Quinn scoffed. "No, I don't."

"You just don't like to let people know you do," Brittany continued. "You're like San. You want everyone to think you don't care, but you do. It's okay to care about Rachel and want her to be happy."

"I don't care if Rachel's happy," Quinn firmly replied. "I just don't see why she had to pretend that she is when she's not."

Brittany gave her a knowing look. "You care enough to know she's not happy."

"So?" Quinn asked.

"So, you wouldn't know that if you weren't paying attention, and you wouldn't be paying attention if you didn't care," Brittany said.

Quinn shook her head. "That makes no sense."

Quinn looked away from Brittany as she took another sip of her coffee. She didn't know why Brittany was so convinced that she cared about Rachel when she had done nothing but complain about her from the moment she'd moved in. Just because she was observant, it didn't mean she actually cared.

"Why would I care about someone I don't like?" Quinn blurted out after a few moments.

"Maybe you like her more than you think you do," Brittany replied, shrugging.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Rachel's—she's annoying. She has a hundred rules that she doesn't follow, she doesn't know when to be quiet, she is incapable of taking a hint. Even the way she looks is annoying; it's like she dresses in the dark every morning. Not only in the dark, but also out of her grandmother's closet. Or a toddler's. I can't decide."

"I kind of like her clothes," Brittany said. "And you don't think she's pretty?"

"She's—I don't know," Quinn replied.

"I think you should give her chance," Brittany said.

"A chance at what?" Quinn asked. "I'm only living there until July and then I never have to see her again."

"You two could be friends," Brittany said with a shrug. "Or maybe more."

"That's never going to happen," Quinn replied.

"But—"

"Brittany," Quinn said, cutting her off. "I really don't want to talk about this right now."

"Okay," Brittany replied, her shoulders slumping.

Quinn knew Brittany was just trying to help and she'd probably hurt her feelings, but she didn't care; she didn't want to talk about it there or anywhere else.

* * *

Quinn glanced at the door when she heard the knock, but remained where she was a few moments longer. When she finished reading the paragraph, she stuck her pencil in the book to save her spot and scooted to the edge of the bed, stretching as she stood up. As her joints popped, she glanced at the clock and saw that she'd been reading for several hours. She'd only intended to look over the book and her notes for an hour, but she'd obviously lost track of time.

"Good evening, Quinn," Rachel said the moment she opened the door.

"Hey," Quinn replied, wondering why Rachel couldn't just say 'hi' like a normal person.

"Are you studying?" Rachel asked.

"I was," Quinn replied.

"Oh," Rachel said. "Well, I was wondering if you would like to join me tonight. There's a showcase at NYADA that I'm attending and I thought I would ask if you would like to come as well. I imagine it will only last a few hours if you would like to take a break from studying. The sophomore class is putting it on; it was something I did last year and I must say it was quite good. Of course, I was a part of it, so I wouldn't expect anything less."

Quinn rolled her eyes and shook her head but had a slight smile on her face. "I'll have to decline."

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked. "I can assure you it will be fun. I understand that studying is important to you, but you should really take a long break every now and then. You can recharge, and then when you come back, you will be able to study more efficiently."

"I'm sure," Quinn replied.

Quinn was going to take a break, but she wasn't going to go to something at Rachel's school. She would much rather spend the time alone in the apartment. Since Rachel was going to be gone for a few hours, she figured it would be a good time to watch a movie. Every time she tried to watch one in the living room, Rachel would always join her, talking through the whole thing. With Rachel gone, she could actually enjoy a movie for once.

Rachel nodded, looking disappointed. "Well, if you change your mind, I won't be leaving for another thirty minutes."

Quinn nodded back and Rachel turned, glancing at her once before walking across the apartment. Quinn watched her until she was in her room with the door closed behind her. She didn't even know why Rachel had invited her; she'd never taken Rachel up on any of her offers, yet she still continued to ask. Quinn wasn't the type to go to school events, which she had told Rachel once before. She had to go to every sporting event in high school because of her position on the Cheerios, but now that she was at Columbia, she only went to the things that interested her, and those were few and far between.

Quinn looked over her shoulder, biting her lip slightly as she stared into her room. Rachel said she wasn't leaving for another thirty minutes, so she debated on what to do. She could study until Rachel was gone or she could go into the living room now and pick out a movie to watch. If she did the latter, though, she risked Rachel changing her mind about going, and then she would stay and talk during the whole movie, which annoyed Quinn to no end. It was one of her biggest pet peeves and it was why she rarely went to the theater to watch anything. Someone would inevitably sit behind her and talk through the movie.

Before she could make up her mind, she heard Rachel's door open on the other side of the apartment. When she looked over there, the brunette was walking out of it with a different outfit than when she walked in. She had swapped out her pink plaid skirt and matching pink top for a black dress, and for the first time since she'd moved in, Quinn couldn't complain about what Rachel was wearing.

"Is this dress okay?" Rachel asked, obviously noticing the fact that Quinn was looking at her since she glanced down at the dress, running her hands over the fabric.

"Yeah," Quinn answered after a moment.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked. "It's not too much, is it? I was thinking about wearing my purple—"

"No," Quinn interrupted. "It's fine."

Rachel nodded. "Well, I guess I should finish getting ready. Are you sure I can't persuade you to attend."

Quinn shook her head. "I'm just going to stay in tonight."

"I understand," Rachel replied. "If you change your mind, the offer still stands. My number is on the refrigerator if you decide you would like to come and you need directions."

Even though she knew she wasn't going to change her mind, Quinn nodded and said, "Okay,"

"Have a good evening, Quinn," Rachel said, giving her a small smile before she slowly turned, walking back into her room.

* * *

Quinn sighed to herself as soon as she heard the keys in the door. She knew she shouldn't be surprised, though; Rachel had a habit of coming back earlier than she said she would be. Other than the previous night, she couldn't remember the last time Rachel had stayed out as late as she said she was going to. She sometimes wondered if Rachel did it on purpose, but then she would realize she was probably just being paranoid.

When the door opened, Quinn glanced toward it, hoping Rachel was alone. The brunette was supposed to have had a date that night and Quinn really didn't want to feel like a third wheel. Quinn scrunched her nose up at the thought. Rachel was loud enough on an everyday basis; she really didn't want to think what it would be like if she was engaged in certain activities. Thankfully, Rachel was alone, so Quinn wouldn't have to deal with that awkward situation.

"Hello," Rachel said when she saw Quinn sitting on the couch.

"Hey," Quinn replied, keeping her eyes on the TV.

"What are you watching?" Rachel asked as she took her coat off.

"Scream 2," Quinn answered.

"Is that the scary movie?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn said

Quinn wasn't usually one for horror movies, but she had watched the first one the night before, so she thought she would watch the second one. She'd watched part of it once, landing on it when she'd been flipping through the channels, and it didn't looked horrible, so when she saw it on Netflix, she thought she'd give it a shot.

"I remember my dads watching it once, but I was too young to join them," Rachel remarked as she walked into the living room. "I've thought about watching it a few times around Halloween, but I'm a bit of a scaredy-cat when it comes to horror movies. I made the mistake of watching Final Destination when I was younger and I wouldn't get on an airplane for two years."

Quinn shook her head, thinking that sounded exactly like something Rachel would do. She wondered if Rachel would be too afraid to answer her phone after watching Scream.

"Is that Ellen's wife?" Rachel asked, sitting down next to Quinn.

"I don't know," Quinn replied.

"Her," Rachel said, pointing to the television. "The blonde one."

"Maybe," Quinn said with a shrug.

"Who is that?" Rachel asked.

"The main girl," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded and then asked, "Was she in the first one."

"Yeah," Quinn answered.

"Was someone trying to kill her before?" Rachel asked.

"Yes," Quinn replied.

"Is someone after her again?" Rachel asked.

Quinn sighed. "Yes."

"Why did they try to kill her?" Rachel asked.

Quinn ran her hand though her hair in frustration and then looked over at Rachel, who was looking at her, waiting for an answer. Instead, Quinn decided to ask, "Why are you home so early?"

"Oh, well, my date was not what I would deem acceptable," Rachel answered. "He took me to a restaurant that only serves hamburgers despite the fact that I warned him ahead of time that I adhere to a strictly vegan diet. After that, he was going to take me to a movie, but I told him I wasn't feeling well. I have no doubt he would have taken me to something as equally horrendous as the restaurant considering he told me his favorite movie is Transformers." Rachel sighed. "I don't understand why it is so hard to find someone who will put a little effort into our date. A first date should be special, don't you think?"

"I guess," Quinn said, shrugging.

Rachel was silent for several moments and Quinn thought maybe she was done playing twenty questions, but then she asked, "Who is he?"

Quinn huffed in annoyance and then looked at Rachel. She didn't know why Rachel couldn't just sit there and watch a movie, but she seemed completely incapable of it. Even when they watched a movie of Rachel's choosing, she would talk about the movie's production, which always led to her talking about her dreams and what she would do differently if she were to ever appear in a remake of the movie.

"Why don't we just watch the first one," Quinn said, stopping the movie before Rachel asked another question and the desire to throw the remote at her became too overwhelming.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked. "You're already in the middle of this movie."

"I'm sure," Quinn replied.

She knew Rachel would talk through it too, but at least she wouldn't be asking her questions every two seconds.

* * *

Quinn heard Brandon call out her name, and she turned to find him waving at her. He was a few minutes late, but considering Quinn had only just gotten there, she wasn't going to hold it against him. The subway had been horrendous, and it took Quinn a while to figure out why, but then she realized that it was Valentine's Day. As soon as it hit her, she suddenly regretted agreeing to a date with Brandon that night. Going out on Valentine's Day was far too much pressure for a second date, especially when she wasn't even sure how she felt about him. She'd thought about calling him to cancel, but it was such short notice that she figured she would just go and hope for the best.

"Sorry," he said, leaning in, and kissing her cheek. "The subway was a nightmare."

"It's okay," Quinn replied. "I've only been here a few minutes."

"This place is packed," Brandon said, looking around.

"Yeah," Quinn replied, hoping he'd been smart enough to make reservations.

Thankfully, he had made reservations, and even though they still had to wait a little bit, they were seated much quicker than the dozens of other people who were standing around. And as she took her seat at a small table in the corner, she wondered if Brandon had deliberately asked her out for Valentine's Day. So far, he hadn't mentioned the holiday, but that didn't mean he wasn't aware of what the day was.

"I don't know if I said it or not, but you look beautiful," Brandon said, looking across the table at her.

"Thanks," Quinn replied. "You don't look so bad yourself."

Even if he reminded her of the boys she'd dated in high school, he at least dressed better than them. Their idea of dressing up was usually a pair of jeans that didn't have holes in them and polo shirt. Sometimes they didn't even bother dressing up that much. Brandon, however, was wearing a well-tailored suit with a navy tie. Even if she wasn't entirely sure about Brandon, she at least appreciated the effort he made.

"So, what'd you do last night?" Brandon asked.

"I watched some movies with my roommate," Quinn answered.

"What movies?" he asked.

"Just some scary movies," Quinn said with a shrug.

"So you like horror movies?" Brandon said.

"Not really," Quinn replied.

"Why were you watching it, then?" he asked.

"I watched one the other night, so I thought I would watch the sequel," Quinn explained. "But then my roommate came home and she wouldn't stop asking what was going on." Quinn rolled her eyes. "I watched the first one again just to get her to stop asking so many questions."

He laughed for a moment and then asked, "What movie was it?"

"Scream," Quinn replied.

"You said you live in an apartment, right?" he asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"Do you just have the one roommate?" Brandon asked.

Quinn nodded. "Yeah, I moved in with her last month."

"Are you two friends?" he asked.

"Um, not exactly," Quinn replied. "She's—she's a little difficult to describe."

Quinn had deliberately not talked about Rachel during their first date and she really didn't want to talk about her now, either. She knew once she started that she would probably talk about her all night, and that wasn't how she wanted to spend the evening. She figured it would be better to keep the conversation on more pleasant topics considering they were only on their second date.

"Try," he said with a light shrug.

"She's just a little different," Quinn said. "What about you? You haven't really told me about your roommate."

She didn't really care to know about his roommate, but she figured it would be a good way to get the topic off her. And as she listened to him talk about Colin, his roommate that he described as alcoholic who was paranoid about aliens and the American government, she was suddenly sorry she asked. He was briefly interrupted by their waitress coming to the table, but the moment she was gone, he began talking about him again.

"Do you know what he did last week?" Brandon asked.

"What did he do?" Quinn asked back, trying to sound interested.

"He covered all the windows in aluminum foil," Brandon replied. "He seems to think it'll make it harder for people to spy on him."

"The aliens or the government?" Quinn couldn't help asking.

"Both," Brandon replied.

Quinn nodded, thinking it sounded like Colin needed a psychological evaluation. And for the first time, she couldn't help thinking maybe there were worse roommates than Rachel Berry.


	9. Sick and Tired

**Chapter 9 – Sick and Tired**

"Let me guess, you've already read the book," Jack remarked as he put his notebook in his bag.

Quinn laughed lightly and said, "Maybe."

Jack shook his head. "I should really find someone else to sit next to. You make me feel like I'm always behind."

"That's because you are," Quinn joked.

"No, you just have no life, so you're always way ahead," Jack replied. "Seriously, I think I'd die of a heart attack if you ever slacked off and didn't read the assignment."

"I guess it's a good thing that's never going to happen," Quinn said.

"Yeah, twenty-one is a bit early to die," Jack commented as they walked out of the classroom together..

"Quinn!"

Quinn stopped, looking over her shoulder. She wasn't really sure why Brandon was there, but she gave him a smile, hoping it didn't look too forced. She wasn't annoyed to see him there, but she wasn't exactly happy, either.

"Or maybe you do have a life," Jack said, raising his eyebrow at her.

"I'll see you Wednesday," Quinn replied, giving her friend a genuine smile.

"Hey," Brandon said, walking up to her.

His eyes flickered toward Jack, who gave Quinn one last look before walking down the hallway. When Brandon looked at her again, he leaned down to give her a kiss. Thankfully, it was nothing more than a peck since Quinn really didn't like public displays of affection, especially in a place like that. It always made her slightly uncomfortable, because she felt like people were watching her. Of course, during high school, people usually were watching her. She didn't really care at the time; she wanted to be seen with the most popular guy in school. But that no longer mattered to her.

"I just got out of class and thought I'd see if you were free," Brandon said.

"Oh, um." Quinn glanced away. She didn't really have anything planned other than going home, but she thought about making up a lie. He looked so hopeful, though, and Quinn instantly felt bad for thinking about lying to him. "What did you have in mind?"

"Coffee?" he asked.

"Sure," Quinn replied.

He gave her a smile and motioned for her to lead the way, so she began walking toward the stairs. She glanced over her shoulder when they began descending the stairs, wondering if he'd asked her to coffee for a reason. Part of her was hoping he was going to say he thought they'd be better off as friends.

Both of their dates had been just fine, but other than their majors, they really didn't have a lot in common. He was into sports and playing video games, which Quinn didn't care about at all. And while he was good looking, Quinn wasn't very attracted to him. She didn't dislike him or anything, but she was very indifferent to him, which wasn't a good sign. She definitely couldn't see them having a long term relationship unless something drastically changed.

"So, my roommate thinks he saw a UFO last night," Brandon announced, reaching out for the door, and opening it for Quinn.

"Was he drunk when he saw it?" Quinn asked.

Brandon laughed. "Not that I know of. Although, it'd explain a lot. No, he thinks it flew by our dorm. He said he saw it fly by my window."

"And where were you when this happened?" Quinn asked.

"Sitting at my desk, which is right by the window," Brandon said, shaking his head.

"Has he sought psychological help?" Quinn asked.

"I've talked to the RA about him," Brandon said, shrugging. "It isn't my problem anymore."

"Yeah," Quinn said, frowning slightly.

"Besides, I don't think he'd try to kill himself or anything," Brandon said. "He's just weird, and from the stories he's told me, he's always been like that." He glanced at her. "Was that your phone or mine?"

"I don't know; didn't hear anything," Quinn said, opening her bag, and pulling her phone out as he pulled his out of his pocket. "It's mine."

Quinn quickly opened the text from Brittany, asking when they were going to hang out that week. She sent a message back to say they could meet whenever and then put the phone back in her bag.

"You don't have to go, do you?" Brandon asked.

"No," Quinn replied. "My friend wanted to know when we could meet. She's the one I lived with before Rachel, and I promised her we'd get together at least once a week."

Brandon nodded. "So, why'd you move out?"

"Our other roommate was—let's just say I didn't really get along with her," Quinn said, not wanting to get into the details with him.

"That sounds like an interesting story," Brandon remarked.

"Not really," Quinn lied as she opened the door to the coffee shop and walked in.

* * *

Quinn grabbed a tissue just before she sneezed, and laid back in her bed with a groan. She hated being sick and had been in denial all day about it. She had awoken with a sore throat and stuffy nose, and it had only gotten worse from there. As much as she didn't want to admit it, she was definitely getting a cold.

Quinn picked her book up from the bed and tried to find her place when another sneeze hit her. She groaned in annoyance again as she threw her tissue into the garbage. Saying she hated being sick was almost an understatement. In high school, it meant missing Cheerios practice, which wasn't acceptable. So, she would always go no matter how miserable she was. Thankfully, she didn't get sick very often, but even once a year was too much for her.

Quinn put her book down and sat up. She couldn't half breath anymore and really needed to go to the store to get some medicine. So, reluctantly, she stood up from her bed and walked over to her closet to grab a pair of shoes. As she slipped them on, she thought about asking Rachel if she had anything, so she wouldn't have to go to the store. She knew it may lead to a lecture on the importance of taking vitamins to keep your immune system up, but she figured it would be worth it if she didn't have to walk to the store.

When she walked out of her bedroom, Rachel was fixing dinner in the kitchen, so she walked over and stood at the island as she asked, "Do you have any DayQuil or NyQuil or anything like that?"

"Are you ill?" Rachel asked, quickly turning around, and looking at her.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"Have you been in the living room for the past three or four days?" Rachel asked.

"I think so," Quinn said, frowning slightly.

Rachel nodded and put down the knife she'd been using to chop vegetables. Without another word, she opened up the cabinet under the sink and pulled out several bottles.

"What are you doing?" Quinn asked.

"Disinfecting," Rachel replied. "I believe I have a few things if you would like to get it. Although, I do ask that you put on gloves before you enter my room. I really can't afford to become sick right now."

Quinn stared at Rachel for a few moments wondering if she was joking, but then Rachel handed over a disposable glove. Quinn took it without saying anything, just happy that she wasn't going to have to walk anywhere.

"It should be in the bottom, left drawer," Rachel said.

Even though she thought it was a little extreme, she put the latex glove on and walked over to Rachel's door. She opened the door with her glove covered hand and entered Rachel's bedroom. She had never been in there before, only catching glimpses of it when Rachel's door was open. As with the rest of the apartment, it was nicely decorated. Most of the furniture was a white, giving the whole room an airy feel.

Rather than admire the room any longer, Quinn walked to the bathroom door, flicking on the light. She was surprised by how huge the bathroom was, though she supposed she shouldn't be given the size of the rest of the room. She looked around the room, wondering which drawer Rachel was talking about. She figured the most logical place would be near the sink, so she knelt down and pulled out the drawer.

"A few things?" Quinn said to herself as she looked down at the drawer, which was full of different kinds of medicine.

She grabbed a few things and then left Rachel's bedroom, walking back to the kitchen, where Rachel had begun disinfecting every surface. Quinn cocked her eyebrow as she watched her wiping down the cabinet handles, wondering if she was going to try to disinfect the whole apartment.

"Oh, good," Rachel said, looking over her shoulder at Quinn. "I see you found it."

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Rachel said, smiling at her.

"I'm going to go lay down," Quinn said, pulling off her glove.

"That's probably a good idea," Rachel replied. "Rest is very important right now. Let me know if you need anything."

Quinn nodded and then said, "Thanks again."

As Quinn turned and began to walk away, Rachel called out, "Oh, Quinn, you really should think about taking a multivitamin or at least one with vitamin C in it. It'll help boost your immune system and you'll be less likely to catch the common cold again."

"I'll keep that in mind," Quinn said, shaking her head, but smiling to herself.

* * *

Quinn slowly opened her eyes when she heard the knock on the door. She wondered who it was since Rachel was in class, but when she rolled over to look at the clock, she saw that she'd been asleep for over three hours. Despite the long nap, she still felt tired, and could easily fall back asleep.

"Quinn," Rachel said, knocking on the door again as she slowly opened it.

"Yeah?" Quinn replied, sitting up, and running her hand through her hair.

"I apologize if I woke you, but I thought I would see if you've eaten anything," Rachel said.

Quinn shook her head. "I've been asleep most of the time."

"I thought that may be the case," Rachel said, opening the door the rest of the way. "That's why I brought you some soup,"

"You brought me soup?" Quinn asked.

"It's from a deli near campus," Rachel said, holding the bag up for Quinn to see. "I can assure you it's delicious. There's also a grilled cheese sandwich in the bag. I know you may not feel like eating very much right now, but you should at least try to eat a little bit of it. It'll give you more energy and make you feel a little better. I also brought you a Sprite; I know you don't really drink a lot of soda, but the sugar may help you a little." Rachel shrugged. "It's what my fathers gave me when I was sick."

"I—" Quinn shook her head. She didn't know why Rachel was trying to take care of her. After all, she hadn't been the nicest to the brunette; she hadn't exactly been mean to her, but she definitely hadn't tried to be friends with her, either. Yet here Rachel was with soup, grilled cheese, and a drink, hoping it would make Quinn feel better.

"I hope you like tomato soup," Rachel said, walking toward her, and holding out the bad. "I wasn't really sure what kind to get you."

"That's fine," Quinn replied, taking the bag from here. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Rachel said, giving her a smile as she set the Sprite down on the nightstand.

Rachel turned on her heel to walk away, but stopped when Quinn said, "Rachel."

"Yes?" Rachel asked, turning back around. "Do you need anything else?"

"No, I—" She shook her head and looked down at the bag in her hands. "Thank you for this."

Rachel smiled again. "You're welcome, Quinn." Rachel began to walk away again, but then turned back around. "Oh, would you like me to pick you up anything from the store? I'm going to go in a little bit. Do you need any more medicine?"

Quinn did need a few things, but she hated the thought of Rachel having to get it for her. She'd already done more than enough bringing her the food, but at the same time, Quinn really didn't feel up to going anywhere. She'd missed both of her classes because she'd felt so bad, and she really didn't feel any better now.

"Quinn?" Rachel asked when she didn't answer.

"Um, yeah," Quinn replied. "If you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all," Rachel said, shaking her head. "You really shouldn't be out in the cold right now, and you're still contagious, so you don't want to risk giving it to others. So, let me know what you want and I will gladly get it for you."

"I need some more DayQuil and could you get me some bananas?" Quinn asked.

"Of course," Rachel replied. "Is there anything else?"

"Some cinnamon Teddy Grahams?" Quinn asked.

Rachel smiled. "I can do that."

"Is it okay if I pay you back?" Quinn asked. "I don't really keep cash on me."

"Don't worry about it," Rachel said, waving her off. "I don't think DayQuil, bananas, and Teddy Grahams are going to break the bank."

Quinn nodded, though she was definitely going to pay Rachel back at some point. She just didn't feel like arguing with Rachel about it at the moment. Getting a rent free apartment was enough; she definitely wasn't going to let Rachel start paying for other things even if the brunette insisted.

"If you think of anything else you need, my number is on the refrigerator," Rachel said.

Quinn nodded and said, "Thanks, Rachel."

"You're welcome," Rachel said, giving her a smile before turning and walking out of the room, softly closing the door behind her.

Quinn looked down at the bag and opened the top, pulling out a wad of napkins and a spoon before taking out the Styrofoam bowl and box. She hadn't eaten all day, so the aroma of it made her stomach instantly growl.

She still couldn't believe Rachel had gotten it for her. Quinn assumed she would eventually have to get up and order some takeout, but this was much better. Especially since Rachel had managed to get her favorite thing to eat when she was sick.

* * *

Quinn jumped when the door slammed shut and looked over to see if it was Rachel who had come in. She'd never heard the girl slam a door before, and she was hoping some stranger hadn't wandered into the apartment. A moment later, Rachel walked forward enough for Quinn to see her and she looked like she was alone. As she watched her try hanging up her coat only to drop it on the floor twice before finally getting it on the hook, she realized why Rachel had slammed the door.

"Are you drunk?" Quinn asked.

"No," Rachel said, but then she stumbled a bit. "Maybe a little."

Quinn shook her head at Rachel, who gave her a sheepish look. "I didn't mean to get drunk. Some of my fellow NYADA classmates asked if I'd like to join them, and I kind of lost track of how many drinks I'd had."

"Have you drunk any water?" Quinn asked, watching Rachel as she walked to the island and took a seat on one of the stools.

"Maybe," Rachel replied.

"Maybe?" Quinn asked.

"Maybe not," Rachel said.

Quinn sighed and turned around, opening the fridge, and pulling a bottle of water out, which she set in front of Rachel. "Drink all of that."

"But you're all germy," Rachel said, eyeing the bottle.

"Disinfect it if you want," Quinn replied.

Rachel looked reluctant, eyeing the bottle like it was going to give her the plague. After a few seconds, she finally reached out and unscrewed the cap, taking a long drink and then carefully putting the cap back on before setting it in front of her again. Quinn just shook her head, wondering exactly how much Rachel had to drink.

"Can I ask you a question?" Rachel asked, reaching out for the bottle again, but knocking it over, instead, causing it to roll across the top of the island.

"What?" Quinn asked, picking the rolling bottle up, and setting it back in front of Rachel.

"Have you always been this pretty?" Rachel asked, attempting to pick up the bottle a second time.

Quinn couldn't help but laugh. "Um, I guess not."

"You're the prettiest roommate I've had," Rachel remarked. "And I've had a lot of roommates. Two every year."

"I know," Quinn replied.

"You're better than most of them," Rachel said, looking up at her. "You don't smoke pot in your room and you don't leave dirty dishes all over the place. You hide in your room a lot, but most of my roommates have done that."

Quinn glanced away and sighed before looking back at Rachel. "How much did you have to drink tonight?"

"I don't know," Rachel replied. "Enough."

"Enough?" Quinn asked.

Rachel nodded. "Enough to make things better."

"Something tells me you're not going to feel like that in the morning," Quinn remarked.

"Maybe next time you could come with me and keep track of my drinks," Rachel said. "If you're not sick or on a date with your date guy."

"Maybe," Quinn replied, turning around, remembering that she had popcorn in the microwave.

"How long have you lived here?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know," Quinn said as she pulled the bag of popcorn out and set it on the island. "A month and a half?"

Rachel slowly nodded. "Do you know why I picked you?"

"Because you wanted to use my life experience?" Quinn asked.

"Kind of, but not really," Rachel replied.

Quinn cocked her eyebrow. "Then why?"

"Does your eyebrow always do that?" Rachel asked.

"Only when I'm dealing with drunk people," Quinn replied.

"What was I talking about?" Rachel asked.

"Why you picked me," Quinn answered.

"Oh, right," Rachel said. "I picked you because I thought you sounded lonely and I'm lonely, too. I don't have any friends and my dads are all the way across the ocean. Even before they moved, I went to the boarding school, but I didn't have any friends there, either. I don't understand it; I try to make people like me, but the opposite always seems to happen."

Rachel looked up at her and Quinn looked down, picking up the bag of popcorn, and pulling at the corners. When she looked back up, Rachel was still staring at her, so Quinn said, "Maybe you shouldn't try so hard."

"I can't help it," Rachel replied.

"Drink the rest of the water," Quinn said, pushing the bottle toward Rachel.

"Are you going to watch a movie?" Rachel asked, taking a sip of water, and nodding toward the bag of popcorn.

"I was thinking about it," Quinn replied.

"Can I watch it with you?" Rachel asked.

"Under one condition," Quinn said.

"What condition?" Rachel asked.

"You can't talk during the whole movie," Quinn replied.

"I won't," Rachel said, smiling. "I promise."

Considering Rachel's current state, Quinn very much doubted that Rachel was going to keep her promise. Nevertheless, she picked up the bag of popcorn, nodding toward the living room as she said, "I also get to pick the movie."

"Okay," Rachel replied, hopping down from the stool.

* * *

"Hey," Brandon said, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

"Hey," Quinn replied. "Are you busy right now?"

"No, not really," he said.

"I was just calling to see if we could reschedule our date tonight," Quinn said, walking across her bedroom, and picking up a book only to set it down again. "I'm really behind after being sick all week, and I need to study."

"Oh, yeah, whatever you need to do," Brandon replied. "There's always next weekend. So, are you feeling better?"

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "I'm not completely over it, but I I feel better."

"Good," Brandon said. "I've missed you in class."

"Yeah, I've missed you, too," Quinn lied.

"I guess I should let you get to studying, right?" Brandon asked.

"I'll see you Monday," Quinn said.

"Yeah," he replied. "I'll see you Monday."

Quinn removed the phone from her ear and ended the call. She stared at her screen for a moment, happy that went as well as it had. She felt a little bad about cancelling on such short notice, but she really didn't feel like going out to dinner that night. She still wasn't feeling a hundred percent and she did need to catch up on a few things. Thankfully, she usually stayed ahead, so she wasn't really behind that much.

Quinn looked at her books for a moment, debating whether or not she wanted to wait or start then. She didn't particularly feel like being productive at the moment, though, so she set the phone on her desk and walked to the door, opening it, and walking out of her bedroom.

Rachel was sitting at the island when Quinn walked out of her room. The brunette looked over her shoulder for a moment and then turned back around. They hadn't spoken since the night before, and Quinn thought she saw Rachel blush a little. She figured Rachel was probably embarrassed about all the things she'd said, and she had said quite a bit. Over the course of the night, she'd told Quinn how pretty she was at least four times,, much to Quinn's embarrassment. She figured the fact that Rachel was now embarrassed was payback for how many times she'd made her blush the night before.

"So, do you have a hangover?" Quinn asked as she passed by Rachel on the way to the fridge.

"Thankfully, no," Rachel replied. "I'm sure I have you to thank for that. If you hadn't made me drink several bottles of water, I'm sure I would have been much worse off this morning."

Quinn shrugged, pulling some leftover Chinese food out of the fridge that they'd ordered the previous night.

Rachel cleared her throat and said, "I apologize for my behavior last night. I'm usually a very talkative person, and I'm afraid it only gets worse once I've consumed alcohol." Rachel paused for a moment, clearing her throat again. "I'm sure I was quite annoying."

"Did we put the rice up?" Quinn asked, opening up several containers, and looking in them.

"I believe I put it on the second shelf," Rachel replied.

Quinn nodded and turned, moved aside the bottle of soy sauce. "Thanks. I found it."

"I really am sorry about last night," Rachel said as Quinn grabbed a plate. "I am usually not much of a drinker, so my tolerance is quite low."

"Rachel, don't worry about it," Quinn replied.

"But—"

"It's fine," Quinn interrupted as she dumped the container of sesame chicken onto the plate. "Believe me, I've done much more embarrassing things."

"You have?" Rachel asked.

"Santana dragged me to a party a week after we moved here," Quinn said, turning around, and putting the other containers back in the fridge. "Brittany gave me a cup and I didn't ask what was in it. By the end of the night, I was making out with someone I'd never met, trying to get them up on a table to dance with me. As if that wasn't bad enough, someone put a video of it up on Facebook for everyone to see."

"Oh no," Rachel said, frowning. "So the video is still up?"

"Thankfully, no," Quinn replied. "I told them to take it down and they just laughed about it. A few days later, it was gone."

"So, they changed their mind?" Rachel asked.

Quinn shook her head. "I think Santana did something. Brittany wouldn't tell me what it was, but I think she persuaded them to delete it."

"I guess I'm lucky I only embarrassed myself in front of you," Rachel replied.

"Like I said, don't worry about it," Quinn said.

Rachel smiled at her. "Thank you for humoring me last night. I can imagine there were many things you would have rather done on a Friday night."

Quinn gave a slight shrug. "I've had worse Friday nights."


	10. Whatever Happened to Saturday Night

**Chapter 10 – Whatever Happened to Saturday Night**

"Hallelujah," Jack said, grabbing his books off his desk.

"At least it'll give me a chance to catch up," Quinn said.

Their professor had announced that he wasn't going to be there on Wednesday, so class was cancelled. For Quinn, it couldn't have come at a better time. She hadn't gotten as much done over the weekend as she hoped, and it would give her plenty of time to go over Jack's notes before the next class.

"Let me guess," Jack said. "By 'catch up' you mean read ahead."

"Not exactly," Quinn replied.

"Right," Jack said, sounding unconvinced. "Hey, it looks like your boyfriend is waiting on you again."

"He's not my boyfriend," Quinn mumbled as she looked toward the door.

"Does he know that?" Jack asked.

"He's going to," Quinn said, giving Brandon a smile.

"You're dumping him?" Jack asked.

"Can you really dump someone you've only gone on two dates with?" Quinn asked.

Quinn had made up her mind the night before that she was going to tell Brandon she really wasn't interested. There was nothing wrong with him, but she just didn't feel a connection with him. They had very little in common, and she wasn't going to date someone just because they were there. She'd done that far too many times in high school and had learned her lesson. If she was going to be in a relationship, she wanted it to be with someone she really wanted.

Jack shrugged. "I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

"I'll see you Monday," Quinn said, making sure she had everything in her bag. "And thank you for letting me borrow your notes."

"What are class friends for?" Jack asked. "Plus, I plan on getting sick very soon, so I'm going to need to borrow yours."

Quinn laughed. "I guess that's fair."

"See ya," Jack said, nudging her with his shoulder before he headed toward the door.

Quinn sighed to herself as she looked at Brandon again. He looked so happy to see her and she didn't want to hurt him, but she knew it was necessary. Considering they'd only been on two dates, though, she hoped she didn't hurt him too badly. It wasn't as if they were even in a relationship; she had made sure to keep things casual.

"Hey," Brandon said as she walked toward him. "I see you're feeling better."

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"So, since we didn't get to go on our date Saturday, I was wondering if we could have lunch?" Brandon asked.

"Actually, I already ate," Quinn replied.

"Oh, well, coffee?" he asked.

"Can we talk?" Quinn asked.

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" Brandon asked.

"Probably not," Quinn replied, figuring it was better to just be straightforward. "You're a great guy, but I'm not interested in being in a relationship right now. I just want to concentrate on school, and—"

"Is it because of the other guy?" Brandon interrupted.

"What?" Quinn asked, frowning.

"That guy I always see you talking to," Brandon said, motioning toward the room she'd just come out of.

"Jack?" Quinn asked, almost laughing at the thought. "No, it has nothing to do with him."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Jack's gay," Quinn said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

Brandon shook his head. "Fine. Do whatever you want to do."

Brandon hiked his backpack up more on shoulder and turned, walking toward the stairs. Quinn raised her eyebrow at the action, not expecting him to storm off. It was the exact same thing her first serious boyfriend had done except he'd kicked a chair on the way out. It wasn't exactly the most mature reaction and it made her happy she'd done it sooner rather than later.

* * *

"Quinn?" Rachel asked from the other side of the door, knocking lightly on it.

"Yeah?" Quinn asked.

"Is it alright if I come in?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"I apologize for the interruption," Rachel said, opening the door just enough to stick her head in. "I was wondering if you were hungry. I'm going to order some food from the Japanese restaurant down the street; would you like anything from there?"

"No thanks," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded. "If you change your mind, let me know."

Rachel closed the door and Quinn looked back down at her notebook. She was almost done copying Jack's notes, but it had taken her a lot longer than she'd expected. He had terrible handwriting and it had taken her a while to decipher some of it. Other parts, she couldn't figure out at all and she had to take pictures of it to send to him so he could translate for her.

Quinn copied the last, half page without a lot of trouble until she hit the final few lines. He'd obviously been hurrying to copy the last bit before leaving the class, so his writing had gotten even sloppier. Rather than spend ten minutes trying to figure out what it said, she grabbed her phone and took a picture of it, texting it to him with a message asking if he was a doctor in another life. As soon as the message was sent, she threw her phone back down on the bed and closed the notebook.

Quinn laid back on her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She still had a few things to do, but she was finally almost caught up on everything. Or more accurately, she was finally ahead again with most of her assignments. Jack may tease her about it, but things like an unexpected illness were exactly why she did it. She hated the stress of falling behind and would rather stay ahead rather than trying to play catch-up. She'd learned that lesson the hard way her freshman year, having to pull several all-nighters during finals weeks, and she wasn't going to have to do it again.

After a few minutes, she sat up and glanced at the door for a moment before sighing and standing up. She walked over to the door and opened in, walking toward the kitchen, where Rachel was standing, eyebrows furrowed as she looked over a takeout menu.

"Oh, good," Rachel said when she looked up and saw Quinn walking toward her. "Which sounds better, quinoa sushi rolls or noodles with garlic, kale, and shitake mushrooms?"

"The noodles," Quinn replied.

"That's what I was leaning toward as well," Rachel said. "Well, I guess it's settled. Are you still sure you wouldn't like anything."

"Actually, that's why I came in here," Quinn replied.

"Oh," Rachel said, smiling. "Well, here you are, then."

"Thanks," Quinn replied, taking the menu from her.

"What made you change your mind?" Rachel asked after a few moments.

Quinn shrugged. "I think I want the chicken hibachi dinner."

"I'll place the order," Rachel said, giving Quinn a smile as she handed the menu back.

Rachel passed by Quinn, walking into the living room, where she called the restaurant. Quinn watched her as she did so, sighing to herself. She avoided Rachel's question because she wasn't entirely sure why she changed her mind. She could eat, but she wasn't that hungry, and she knew most of the dish was probably going to end up as leftovers.

"They said it should be here in an hour," Rachel said, looking over at her. "Do you—do you need to study?"

"I'm a little tired of studying, actually," Quinn replied.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" Rachel asked. "Or maybe a television show? I overheard someone in one of my classes talking about some show called Orphan Black, and it sounded interesting. Apparently the lead actress plays multiple roles on the show."

"It doesn't matter to me," Quinn replied.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked. "Because we can do something else if you would like. Or if you don't want to do anything at all, we can do that, too."

"The show's fine," Quinn replied.

"Okay," Rachel said, smiling.

Quinn walked over to the living room and took a seat on the couch while Rachel looked around the living room. Quinn watched her for a while before asking, "What are you looking for?"

"The remote control," Rachel said, lifting up one of the pillows on the love seat.

Quinn leaned forward and pulled the remote out from under a magazine on the coffee table. "Are you talking about this one?"

"Yes," Rachel said, ducking her head as she put a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you."

Rachel walked to the couch and sat down, shifting around for a moment before turning the television on. Quinn watched her out of the corner of her eye, wondering why Rachel seemed so antsy. Just when Quinn would finally think Rachel was settled, she would begin moving around again

"Are you okay?" Quinn finally asked.

"What?" Rachel asked. "Oh, yes, I'm fine."

Quinn's eyebrow rose; she definitely didn't believe her, but she didn't care enough to try to get it out of Rachel. Thankfully, Rachel finally settled after another minute or two, just as the first episode began to start.

* * *

"Hello," Rachel said when she walked through the door.

"Hey," Quinn replied, reaching for the remote, and hitting pause.

"How was your day?" Rachel asked as she began unbuttoning her coat.

"Fine." Quinn shrugged. "You're home late."

"I thought I would make use of one of the studios while it was free," Rachel replied. "As much as I prefer practicing here, sometimes an actual dance studio is better."

Quinn hummed; she definitely wished Rachel would always rehearse at the school. Even if she no longer wanted to throttle Rachel all the time, it was nice to have a quiet apartment. And it was never very quiet when Rachel was around. Not unless the brunette was asleep or doing yoga.

"What are you watching?" Rachel asked when she walked into the living room.

"Some movie I found on Amazon," Quinn replied.

"Oh," Rachel replied. "After you're done with it, would you like to watch the next episode of Orphan Black?"

"Actually, why don't we just watch it now?" Quinn said.

Rachel frowned and asked, "You don't want to finish your movie?"

"Not really," Quinn said, shaking her head. "It's kind of terrible."

"Well, if you're sure," Rachel replied. "Let me make some popcorn and then I'll be ready."

Quinn nodded and went back to the menu before throwing the remote on the couch cushion. The movie wasn't very good and she would definitely rather watch the show. She was actually just waiting for Rachel to get home so they could continue with it. She'd thought about watching it without Rachel, but they'd started it together, so she figured she should probably wait even though she was very tempted to watch the next episode.

"Would you like any popcorn?" Rachel asked from the kitchen.

"No, thanks," Quinn replied.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked. "I bought some caramel popcorn the other day. I was thinking about fixing it, but there's far too much for me to eat it alone, and I really don't want to waste it."

"Well, if you're going to fix it—"

"Great!" Rachel said, turning, and reaching for the box on the top shelf.

"What would you have done if I still said I didn't want any?" Quinn wondered.

"I would have tried to convince you otherwise," Rachel said, looking over her shoulder, and smiling at Quinn.

Quinn shook her head at Rachel and then stood, walking toward the kitchen. Rachel put the bag of popcorn in the microwave and set it for two minutes before turning and resting her elbows on the island.

"I'm surprised you didn't have any plans for the evening," Rachel remarked.

"Why?" Quinn asked.

Rachel shrugged. "I don't know. You just seem like the type of person who would rather spend their Friday evening out. I mean, you have friends, and I thought maybe you would rather be out with them."

"I didn't really feel like going anywhere tonight," Quinn replied.

"You're not feeling ill again, are you?" Rachel asked.

"No," Quinn replied. "There's no need to bring out the disinfectant again."

"You can't blame me for wanting to stay healthy," Rachel said. "A simple cold can wreak havoc on my voice, and my voice is my livelihood."

Quinn rolled her eyes; only Rachel could be so dramatic about getting a cold. It wasn't as if it would stop her from ever singing again or anything. In fact, Quinn thought it may do her some good. Maybe she could relax for a few days instead of constantly rehearsing.

"May I ask why you just rolled your eyes at me?" Rachel asked, putting her hands on her hip.

"Because you're a little ridiculous," Quinn replied.

Rachel huffed. "I resent that."

"Of course you do," Quinn replied. "Your popcorn's going to burn."

"What?" Rachel asked, frowning. "Oh!"

Rachel turned and quickly stopped the microwave, pulling the bag out. As soon as it was in her hands, though, Rachel quickly threw it onto the counter, causing Quinn to laugh.

"I'm glad my pain amuses you," Rachel remarked. "I could have first degree burns for all you know."

"Something tells me you don't," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"You never know," Rachel replied, opening the cabinet, and pulling out a large glass bowl.

"Have you always been this dramatic?" Quinn asked.

Rachel glanced at her as she pulled the bag of popcorn toward her but didn't say anything. Not verbally, anyway; her face, on the other hand, said a lot. Quinn had obviously struck a nerve with Rachel, and she wondered if the brunette was going to eventually answer her or if she was going to remain tight-lipped.

"I thought we could share out of the same bowl, so we don't have to dirty a second one," Rachel said after a while.

"Are you going to answer my question?" Quinn asked.

Rachel paused for a few moments and then said, "No,"

"No, you're not going to answer or no, you haven't always been so dramatic?" Quinn wondered.

"The latter," Rachel replied. "You know, if we don't begin eating this popcorn soon, it's going to get cold."

"I thought it just gave you first degree burns," Quinn commented, raising her eyebrow at Rachel.

"As you said, I was just being dramatic," Rachel replied. "Now, can we please just watch the television show?"

Quinn gave a light shrug and said, "Sure."

* * *

"Quinn!" Rachel said, jumping slightly when Quinn closed her bedroom door. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here?" Quinn said, furrowing her brows in confusion.

"I know; I just—I thought you were going out with that guy tonight," Rachel replied. "What's his name? Brent?"

"Brandon," Quinn said. "We were supposed to, but I told him I wasn't really interested in a relationship right now."

"Does that mean you just want to keep things casual with him or that you're not going to see him at all?" Rachel asked.

"Well, considering he stormed off and hasn't spoken to me since, even if I had wanted to keep casually seeing him, I don't think it would've happened," Quinn replied.

"So, things between you two are over?" Rachel said.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded and then asked, "Is there a reason you're not interested in being in a relationship at the moment."

"I'm not necessarily uninterested in a relationship," Quinn said, shrugging. "I just didn't want to hurt his feelings by telling him I wasn't interested in a relationship with him."

"Oh," Rachel replied.

Quinn expected her to say more than just 'oh'—she obviously wanted to—but a moment later, she turned away and walked toward the piano. Quinn's eyebrow rose as she watched Rachel, who picked some sheet music up from the piano bench and intently looked at it. After a few seconds, Quinn shook her head. She didn't really understand Rachel; sometimes she wouldn't stop asking questions, but at other times, she would obviously want to ask something but wouldn't.

"Is Brittany coming over tonight?" Rachel asked just as Quinn turned to walk back into her room.

"Not that I know of," Quinn said, shrugging as she turned back to look at Rachel.

Rachel nodded and then looked back down at the sheet music. "So, do you have plans for tonight?"

"No," Quinn replied.

"Really?" Rachel asked, looking over at her.

Quinn didn't know why Rachel sounded so surprised. It wasn't like she had much of a social life. Other than Brittany, she really didn't have that many friends. She had a few friends from class, but she rarely saw any of them outside of the classroom. Jack was the one exception; they didn't spend a lot of time together, but they would occasionally go somewhere together.

"I know we've already spent two nights this week watching Orphan Black, but would you be interested in watching the second season?" Rachel asked.

"I should've known that's what you were getting at," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"Oh, well, we don't have to," Rachel quickly replied.

"I didn't say no," Quinn said.

"So, you're saying yes?" Rachel asked.

Quinn shrugged and said, "I really don't have anything better to do."

She had some studying to do for a quiz on Monday, but it could wait. She really just needed to look over her notes to refresh herself, which wouldn't take too long.

Rachel smiled. "I'll get it ready."

Quinn shook her head as Rachel briskly walked into the living room. This was the third night that week that she was going to spend the evening with Rachel, and she wasn't really sure how that managed to happen. Her only explanation was that her interest in watching the show outweighed Rachel's annoyance. Or maybe it was because Rachel was so wrapped up in the show that she barely spoke during it, making it easier to be around her. Whatever the reason, she'd probably spent more time with Rachel that week than the whole rest of the time she'd lived there.

"I was thinking of ordering a pizza tonight," Rachel said, glancing over her shoulder as Quinn began walking toward the living room. "I don't know if you've eaten recently or if you're okay with having pizza tonight, but if you are, we could split one."

"That's fine," Quinn said, shrugging.

"In that case, maybe we can watch an episode or two before I place the order?" Rachel replied. "Unless you're hungry right now."

"Not really," Quinn said.

"Perfect," Rachel replied, smiling at her.

Quinn couldn't help but sigh as she sat down. She didn't really know how, but they'd seemed to have developed a routine. Nearly every weekend they would end up watching something together and ordering takeout. She wasn't really sure when it started, but she blamed Rachel for it. Rachel had a bad habit of showing up anytime Quinn was watching a movie. She also wasn't really sure when she'd stopped being annoyed by it.

She glanced over at Rachel, who still had a slight smile on her face, and then forward at the TV again, shaking her head at herself. She was young, attractive, and she lived in New York City, a place where she could do just about anything, yet she somehow found herself spending Saturday night in the apartment with Rachel.

* * *

"Hey," Quinn said, bringing her phone to her ear.

"Hi," Brittany replied. "I found your dark brown boots in the closet."

"Okay," Quinn said, frowning slightly.

"If you wanna come and get them, you can," Brittany replied.

"Well, since I didn't even know I was missing them, I can just get them when we see each other," Quinn said.

"Okay," Brittany replied. "I'll bring them Thursday. So, what are you doing?"

"Not much," Quinn said, sitting down on her bed, and looking around. "I was thinking about rearranging my room."

"Are you allowed to do that?" Brittany asked.

"Probably not," Quinn said, smiling to herself.

She figured it was somewhere in the roommate agreement, but she really didn't feel like looking through it. She supposed she could go ask Rachel, but it felt weird asking permission to move a few pieces of furniture around. She'd really intended on moving the dresser Rachel had put into the room a long time ago, but she'd been afraid it was against Rachel's rules. Now, she didn't really care; at most, she figured Rachel would just ask her to move it back. She was no longer worried that Rachel was going to make her move if she didn't follow every single rule.

"Speaking of Rachel," Brittany said.

"What about her?" Quinn asked when Brittany didn't say anything else.

"How are things going?" Brittany asked.

"Okay, I guess," Quinn said, shrugging.

"Okay?" Brittany asked.

"What?" Quinn asked when Brittany paused again.

"It's just that this is the first time you haven't complained about her," Brittany replied. "You didn't even complain about her when we had lunch the other day. I don't think you've ever gone a week without doing that."

"So?" Quinn asked, wondering what Brittany was getting at.

"I was just wondering if you two are friends now?" Brittany asked.

"No," Quinn replied. "I'm not friends with her."

"Oh," Brittany said, sounding disappointed.

Quinn didn't know why Brittany was so eager for her and Rachel to become friends. Just because they lived in the same apartment, it didn't mean there had to be anything more than that. Besides, it wasn't like she was going to live with Rachel forever; even if she wanted to, there was a six month maximum.

"So, what did you end up doing this weekend?" Brittany asked.

"I, um—I studied," Quinn replied.

"All weekend?" Brittany asked.

"No," Quinn said.

"Well, then, what else did you do?" Brittany asked.

Quinn sighed and then said, "Rachel and I watched a TV show together."

"Really?" Brittany asked.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean we're friends," Quinn replied before Brittany could say anything else.

"But you're kind of getting along better, right?" Brittany asked.

"I guess," Quinn replied just as there was a knock at her door. "I'll be out there in a minute."

"What?" Brittany asked.

"Sorry, I was talking to—Rachel," Quinn said, pausing as she wondered whether or not she felt like telling Brittany. "I told her we could watch the rest of that show we watched last night."

"Oh, okay," Brittany replied. "Tell her I say hi."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," Quinn said.

"Quinn," Brittany said just as she was about to end the call.

"Yeah?" Quinn asked.

"I'm really happy you and Rachel are friends," Brittany replied.

"We're not—" Quinn huffed when Brittany hung up, cutting off her denial.

Quinn shook her head and she threw her phone down on the bed and ran her hand through her hair. Sometimes she really didn't understand Brittany. It was as if she was in her own little world, believing what she wanted to believe, and ignoring any evidence to the contrary. Quinn knew she hated conflict and wanted everyone to get along, especially those she cared about, but she was eventually going to have to learn that it wasn't always going to happen. Quinn and Santana were probably never going to be friends again, and she and Rachel were never going to become friends in the first place. Just because she could actually tolerate spending a few hours with Rachel, it didn't mean they were going to suddenly become best friends.

Quinn stood up and walked toward her door, leaving her phone where she'd tossed it. She knew her mom would probably be calling any time and she really didn't feel like dealing with her at the moment. Talking with Brittany had already agitated her enough, so talking with either of her parents was the last thing she wanted to do.

"Is everything alright?" Rachel asked the moment Quinn walked out of her room.

"Fine," Quinn replied.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked, furrowing her brows as she looked at Quinn. "You look like something is bothering you."

"I said I'm fine," Quinn said a little more harshly than she'd intended it to sound.

"Okay," Rachel replied. "If you don't want to talk about it, it's perfectly alright, but I would at least request that you don't lie to me. I can tell when something is bothering you, Quinn. I just want you to know that I'm here if you need to talk to someone."

Rachel gave her a small smile and then walked over to the couch, sitting down in the middle of it. For a moment, Quinn thought about just going back into her room, but then she shook her head and walked over to join Rachel on the couch.


	11. Kind Of

**Chapter 11 – Kind Of**

Quinn set her bag on the floor and pulled off her coat and gloves. She was thankful that it was beginning to get a little warmer, but it was still nowhere near being warm enough to go without a coat. She had shed the scarf, though, and she was hoping the gloves would soon be unneeded as well.

"Quinn?" Rachel called out.

"Yeah?" Quinn called back.

"I was just making sure it wasn't some murder or rapist," Rachel said, causing Quinn to roll her eyes.

"And what would you have done if it had been?" Quinn wondered as she walked into the kitchen.

"Well, there are plenty of knives around, so I would have grabbed one to defend myself," Rachel replied.

"And if the murdering rapist had a gun?" Quinn asked.

"I hadn't thought that far," Rachel replied. "I suppose I would have crawled into one of the cabinets and hope he didn't find me before I could make a run for it."

Quinn shook her head and began walking toward her bedroom. She knew she shouldn't have asked; she always got some ridiculous answer that only Rachel would give. Of course, few people would probably be able to fit into the cabinets, but considering how small Rachel was, Quinn guessed it wasn't quite as crazy.

"So, you're back later than usual," Rachel remarked as Quinn walked into her bedroom.

"Yeah, I was at the library," Quinn said, setting her bag on the bed.

"Do you have an exam soon?" Rachel asked, appearing outside the door.

"In a week," Quinn replied.

"Oh, so, you're getting an early start on it," Rachel said, nodding as she stepped into the room.

"It's worth forty percent of my grade, so yeah," Quinn replied.

"Did you find time to eat while you were studying?" Rachel asked. "I made lasagna, and there's more than enough if you would like to join me."

Quinn's first instinct was to decline the offer, but Rachel looked so hopeful. Quinn wasn't even sure when she started caring if she disappointed Rachel, but she couldn't help feeling guilty. So, with a light sigh, Quinn said, "Actually, I was going to order a pizza, but lasagna sounds good."

"Wonderful!" Rachel said, smiling widely. "It should be ready in about fifteen minutes."

Rachel turned on her heel and walked out of the room, leaving Quinn to herself. She looked down at her bag, thinking about staying in her room until dinner was done, but then she looked at her open door. Sighing, Quinn walked to the door and stopped just outside her room, where she watched Rachel scurrying around the kitchen.

"Do you need any help?" Quinn asked after a few moments.

"Thank you for the offer, but everything is all set," Rachel answered. "I just need to finish the salads, but that won't take more than a minute or two."

"I feel kind of bad," Quinn admitted as she walked up to the island. "You're always the one who makes dinner."

Rachel shrugged and said, "I really don't mind. I would be doing it whether you were here or not, so it's not as if it's any extra work."

"It's probably for the better," Quinn said. "I'm not the best cook in the world."

"I'm sure that's not true," Rachel replied. "And even if it is, they say practice makes perfect."

Quinn hummed. "I guess I'm not the best because I really hate it. My mother was the one who taught me, and she only wanted me to learn so I could cook for my husband." Quinn shook her head, looking down. "My sister was always a lot better at it than I was, but that's nothing new. She was always better at everything."

"I find that difficult to believe," Rachel replied.

Why?" Quinn asked. "You don't even know me."

"I know enough," Rachel said with a shrug. "I know you're smart or you wouldn't be going to Columbia. And anyone can see how pretty you are. Plus, you told me during the interview that your cheerleading team won at Nationals, so you're obviously talented as well. I just find it hard to believe that anyone could top that."

"Ask my parents," Quinn replied. "They'll tell you all about how Frannie is better than me."

"Maybe you shouldn't believe everything your parents say," Rachel said. "They're not always right. They don't always know what's best, and sometimes they fail to see what's right in front of them."

"Are you talking about my parents or yours?" Quinn wondered.

Rachel paused for a moment, clearly caught off guard by the question, but then said, "I'm talking about most parents."

Quinn's eyebrow rose for a second, but she didn't say anything. She figured Rachel was talking about her own parents as much as she was about Quinn's, but she wasn't going to push the issue.

"Maybe one of these days you'll change your mind about cooking," Rachel said, giving her a small smile. "It can be quite fun and relaxing. I think you just need the right person with you in the kitchen."

Rachel smiled at her again, and Quinn thought she was going to offer to be the one in the kitchen with her, but she turned and opened the refrigerator without saying anything else.

* * *

Quinn sighed and pressed her forehead against the book she was reading. Or at least trying to read. Rachel was in the living room, singing loudly, and making it difficult to concentrate. Listening to music didn't even seem to drown Rachel out; she was forced to turn it up as loud as it would go, and then she couldn't focus because she had music blaring into her ears.

When the music finally grew quiet in the living room, Quinn lifted her head. Rachel had been at it all evening, so Quinn knew it was only a matter of time she Rachel began singing again. All evening, she'd been thinking about asking her to stop, but every time she got to the door, she stopped. Even if she and Rachel were on slightly friendlier terms than they had been, she was still wary about asking her to stop. It was Rachel's apartment, after all, and she doubted it would even work. Still, she was becoming more and more tempted to try even if she didn't think it would deter Rachel.

Quinn stood, hesitating a moment before she finally walked over to the door. When she opened it and walked out of her room, Rachel was by the piano with sheet music spread all over the top. She looked over her shoulder and smiled as Quinn began walking toward her. She then turned back to the piece of paper in her hands, put it down on the piano, and picked up another sheet.

"How is your evening, Quinn?" Rachel asked as she looked over the sheet music.

"It could be better," Quinn replied.

"Oh?" Rachel said, looking at Quinn again.

"Yeah, I'm trying to study and it's hard to do when you're singing," Quinn slowly said.

"I apologize, Quinn, but it's important that I find the perfect song," Rachel replied, turning around to look at her. "The good news is I now have it narrowed down to six songs."

"That's the good news?" Quinn asked, her eyebrow rising.

"Well, I started off with twenty-seven, so I've narrowed it down considerably," Rachel replied. "I promise I will be finished by the end of the night."

Quinn sighed. She really didn't want to waste a whole night's worth of studying when she had such a huge exam coming up in less than a week. She'd planned to focus on one chapter a night, with Saturday and Sunday to review all the material, and if Rachel was going to spend the rest of the night singing at the top of her lungs, there was no way she was going to get through a chapter that night.

Quinn nodded after a few moments and said, "I guess I'll go to the library, then."

"Isn't it a little late?" Rachel asked with a slight frown.

Quinn shrugged. "I've been at the library much later than this. I kind of had to go when Santana was in one of her moods; I practically lived there near the end of last semester."

Quinn much preferred studying at home—in theory, there were less interruptions—but sometimes she didn't have the option. While Rachel's loudness wasn't malicious, Santana's definitely had been. It was as if she could sense anytime Quinn was studying and would do everything she could to interrupt it. She'd tried everything from asking her nicely to threatening her, but none of it had an effect on Santana's behavior. If anything, it only seemed to make it worse.

"I really am sorry, Quinn," Rachel said. "If it wasn't so important for me to choose the perfect song, I would call it a night."

"It's fine," Quinn replied, shaking her head.

She was annoyed, but there was no point in saying anything about it. It wouldn't change anything, and Quinn believed Rachel when she said it was important. Rachel was a lot of things—she was certainly oblivious to a lot of things—but as far as Quinn could tell, she wasn't a liar and she wasn't the type to be purposefully mean.

"I should go get some real clothes on," Quinn said, indicating her pajama pants and tank top.

Rachel nodded and then went back to her sheet music as Quinn turned to walk back into her room. When the door was closed behind her, she pulled her tank top off as she walked to her closet, where she opened the door and grabbed the first sweater she saw.

"Quinn?" Rachel asked, knocking on the door.

"Yeah?" Quinn asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Would you like me to call you if I get done earlier than expected?" Rachel asked as she opened the door, freezing the moment she saw Quinn.

Quinn shrugged, smirking in amusement at Rachel's reaction. "Sure."

"Great," Rachel said, looking everywhere but at Quinn. "I'll be certain to call the moment I've finished."

"Thanks," Quinn replied, shaking her head when Rachel turned and bumped into the door.

* * *

Quinn closed the door behind her, throwing her keys into her bag as she walked into the apartment. It had been one of those days that seemed to drag on forever, so Quinn was thankful to finally be home even if it meant she now had to study. At least she could study in the apartment, though; the previous night, she had been at the library for nearly three hours before Rachel had finally called her and told her she'd chosen her song.

As Quinn walked across the apartment to her bedroom, she heard a man's voice and instantly froze in her tracks. She looked around the living room, wondering where it had come from, but then she heard it again and realized it was coming from inside her bedroom. Her first instinct was go into the room and ask him what the hell he was doing in her room, but considering she lived in New York, she thought better of it.

"Oh, Quinn, I didn't hear you come in!" Rachel said.

Quinn jumped at the sound of Rachel's voice, her heart pounding in her chest. Her bedroom door opened a moment later and two men walked out, examining the door as they did so. She had no idea who the men were, but considering Rachel wasn't screaming about potential murderers in the house, she assumed the brunette knew they were there.

"Why are there two guys in my room?" Quinn asked.

"Oh, sorry," Rachel said, walking toward. "Quinn, this is Steven and Tony. They're here to give me an estimate on how much it would cost to soundproof the apartment."

"Why?" Quinn asked.

"Well, I know it's not always easy for you to study, so I thought this could solve the problem," Rachel replied. "Once Steven and Tony give me their estimate, I'm going to propose the renovation to my fathers. Don't worry; Steven and Tony won't be in your room for long. They're just taking some measurements."

Quinn shook her head; as much as she would love to not have to listen to Rachel's singing in the morning or while she was trying to study, she thought it was absurd that Rachel was going to soundproof the apartment.

"I'll be moving out in less than four months," Quinn said. "I don't want your fathers to spend a lot of money on it."

"And they will very likely think it's unnecessary, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to try," Rachel replied. "Even if you're only going to be living here for four more months, someone else will be living here after that, and they might find it useful as well."

Quinn didn't feel like trying to change Rachel's mind about it, so she walked into the living room and sat down on the couch since she wasn't going to go into her room with Steven and Tony in there.

"They're nearly done," Rachel said, joining her on the couch, and turning toward her. "They should be out of your room within the next ten to fifteen minutes." Rachel paused, looking at Quinn. "You're not angry, are you?"

Quinn looked at Rachel, who had her eyebrows furrowed, and shook her head. "No."

"Are you certain?" Rachel asked. "Because I know I can be a little annoying and that you don't like me very much, but I was kind of hoping you would be happier if your room was soundproofed."

"I don't—not like you," Quinn said, rolling her eyes at herself.

"Really?" Rachel asked, looking hopefully.

"You're just a little loud sometimes," Quinn said. "Especially in the morning. And you—"

Quinn closed her mouth, leaving her sentence unfinished. She really didn't want to get into this at the moment, but she doubted Rachel would let it go. Sure enough, when Quinn didn't say anything else, Rachel gave her an expectant look and asked, "And I what?"

Quinn bit her lip for a moment and then finally said, "You're still trying too hard. You don't need to soundproof the apartment just because you hope it'll make me like you more."

"I know," Rachel said, looking down with a sigh. "I'm afraid it's simply in my nature to try too hard, though. It's difficult when I've never really had any friends, or at least not anyone I could consider a close friend. Usually people only tolerate me because of the things I can get them." Rachel gave her a sad smile. "Or because I let them live here without paying any rent."

"I don't just tolerate you," Quinn admitted.

"So, you're saying we're kind of friends, then?" Rachel asked with a smile.

Quinn shrugged and said, "Kind of."

Rachel nodded, her smile growing. "I should let you study. I assume that's what you're going to do tonight."

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"I'll ask Steven and Tony to hurry," Rachel said, standing up.

Quinn nodded. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, Quinn," Rachel said, giving her another smile.

* * *

Quinn looked up as Brittany hurried her way, looking a little frazzled. Quinn was beginning to wonder if she was even going to show up; she was nearly fifteen minutes late, which wasn't like her. Or at least it wasn't like her to be late to one of their lunches, and if she was, it was usually only by a minute or two. Most of the time she was even early.

"Sorry," Brittany said as she plopped down across from her. "I overslept."

Quinn frowned. "It's after noon."

"San and I were up really late," Brittany replied.

Quinn held her hand up before Brittany could begin elaborating. "I really don't need any details."

"I didn't know she'd turned off my alarm until way past when I was going to leave," Brittany added. "She thought she'd let me sleep longer, but she didn't know I was meeting you today."

"It's fine," Quinn replied. "I ordered your usual for you."

Brittany smiled. "Thanks."

"How's work going?" Quinn asked.

"I'm going to get to teach the kids a dance on Friday," Brittany said, her smile growing in excitement. "Miss Warren is going to see her family or something, so instead of cancelling the class, she's going to let me do it."

"That's really good," Quinn said, knowing Brittany had been waiting for the opportunity for a while.

"Yeah, and if I do okay, she may let me teach more," Brittany replied.

"I'm sure you'll do great," Quinn said, smiling at her friend.

"I hope so," Brittany replied.

Quinn had complete faith in Brittany; she'd never seen anyone dance like her friend did. She definitely had a natural talent for it, and Quinn had used it to her advantage during her time as head cheerleader in high school. Their coach liked to choreograph their routines herself, but she would sometimes ask Quinn to do it, and Quinn almost always had Brittany helping her. She had a knack for coming up with new ideas and could usually learn any routine after watching it only once..

"What about you?" Brittany asked. "How's school?"

"Okay, I guess," Quinn replied. "I told you about that really big exam, so I've been studying for it a lot."

"So, I guess you're busy Saturday?" Brittany said.

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "Jack's coming over, so we can study together."

"Too bad," Brittany said. "Me and San are going to a new club she heard about and I thought maybe you could come with us."

"Maybe another time," Quinn replied.

Brittany nodded and then asked, "How's Rachel?"

"She's fine," Quinn said before rolling her eyes and laughing lightly. "She's thinking about soundproofing the apartment. When I came home yesterday, there were these two guys there to give her an estimate." Quinn shook her head. "She's going to see if her dads will pay for it."

"Isn't that good?" Brittany asked.

"It's crazy," Quinn replied.

"But you're always complaining about her being loud—"

"Yes, but I don't think it's necessary to spend thousands of dollars when I'll be gone by July," Quinn interrupted.

"I think it's sweet that she's doing it," Brittany said with a shrug.

"I'm still going with crazy," Quinn replied.

"Okay, but why do you care if she's wasting her money?" Brittany asked. "You don't like her, right?"

"It would be her dads' money," Quinn corrected.

Brittany shrugged. "Well, then, why do you care if she's wasting their money?"

"I—" Quinn tilted her head with a sigh. She didn't necessarily care—they obviously had plenty of money if they bought the apartment for their daughter—but she still thought it was pointless. While it would be nice to be able to study or to sleep in past five, it just seemed completely pointless. As she'd already pointed out, she was going to be gone in less than four months, and it didn't make sense for Rachel to do it just for her.

"It's just unnecessary, okay?" Quinn eventually said.

"Okay," Brittany replied.

Quinn narrowed her eyes. "What?"

"I only said 'okay'," Brittany said, shrugging.

Brittany's face was saying more than just 'okay'. She could tell her friend wanted to say something else, but she was obviously playing dumb, and Quinn hated it when she did that. If she wanted to say something, Quinn wished she would just say it.

"I think our food's coming," Brittany said after a few moments.

"Good," Quinn replied, really wanting out of their current conversation.

* * *

Quinn was in the kitchen when she heard the knock on the door. She closed the refrigerator and walked over to the door, unsurprisingly finding Jack on the other side when she opened it.

"Hey," he said, smiling at her before looking over her shoulder. "Wow, you weren't exaggerating."

"I told you it was huge," Quinn replied.

"It's amazing," Jack said, stepping into the apartment when Quinn stepped to the side. "And you're living her for free? Where do I sign up?"

"I'm sure you can put in an application," Quinn replied as she looked around in awe.

Jack laughed and looked over his shoulder at her. "Do you think she'll let a guy live here?"

"I think she's had male roommates before," Quinn said with a shrug.

"I thought I heard someone knocking," Rachel said, causing Quinn and Jack to look over at her."

"Yeah, this is—"

"I'm Jack," he interrupted, extending his hand as he walked over to Rachel, and causing Quinn to roll her eyes at him.

"It's very nice to meet you, Jack," Rachel replied with a smile. "Quinn has told me a lot about you."

"Really?" Jack asked, looking at Quinn with a concerned expression.

She shook her head at him; he obviously wanted to make a good impression on Rachel and was afraid of what Quinn had said about him. Considering everything she'd told him about Rachel, she found it hard to believe that he would want to live there, but the appeal of living in such a nice apartment had apparently won out.

"I can assure you it was all nice things," Rachel said, seeming to sense his concern. "Has Quinn offered you any refreshments?"

"Uh, no," Jack replied.

"Well, you're free to help yourself to anything in the refrigerator," Rachel said with a smile. "We have bottles of water, soy milk, and several different types of juices."

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks," Jack replied, smiling back.

"We should go study," Quinn said, giving Jack a look when he glanced at her.

"Oh, yeah," Jack replied. "We have this big exam on Monday."

"That's what Quinn told me," Rachel said. "Personally, I think it's a little extreme to have an exam worth nearly half your grade, and I fail to see how that's an accurate representation of what you know. You could simply be having a bad day, but if that one bad day happened to be on the day of your exam, you would very likely fail the class."

"Exactly," Jack replied. "I'd rather have four, five, six exams throughout the year rather than two huge ones. I think our professor just doesn't want to spend the extra time grading them."

Quinn cleared her throat, and Rachel and Jack both looked at her. "Speaking of the exam, we should really—"

"Say no more," Rachel said, holding up her hands. "It was very nice to meet you, Jack, but I don't want to keep you from studying any longer."

"Yeah, it was nice meeting you, too," Jack replied.

Rachel gave Quinn a smile before turning on her heel and walking back into her bedroom, leaving the door open as she went in. Quinn was thankful Rachel had taken the hint because she had a feeling Jack would have wasted a lot more time talking to the brunette if she hadn't excused herself.

"My room's over here," Quinn said, nodding toward the other side of the room.

"So, that's Rachel, huh?" Jack mumbled as he followed her to her room.

"That's Rachel," Quinn replied.

"She's not really what I was expecting," he remarked.

"What were you expecting?" Quinn asked as she opened the door to her room.

Jack shrugged and said, "I don't know; her to be completely hideous or something?"

"Well, her clothes are," Quinn replied.

Jack laughed. "Actually, I think the moose sweater is kind of cute."

"Reindeer," Quinn said, rolling her eyes.

"Whatever," Jack replied. "It could be worse."

"For a gay guy, you have terrible taste in fashion," Quinn joked.

"We can't all be the Queer Eye guys," Jack joked back. "Seriously, though; I see people dressed way worse every day."

"You realize we have an exam in two days, right?" Quinn asked.

"So?" Jack asked.

"So why are we talking about Rachel?" Quinn asked back.

"Because I finally got to meet her after hearing so much about her for the past two months," Jack replied. "You can't expect me not to want to talk about her."

Quinn shook her head. "This is why we should have met at the library."

"I just don't think she's that bad," Jack stated.

"Well, you don't have to live with her," Quinn replied. "And—she's not always so bad."

Jack's eyebrows rose. "Are you and she actually becoming friends."

"I don't know," Quinn replied with a sigh as she looked away. "Maybe."

Quinn still found Rachel annoying a lot of the time, but she seemed be less and less aggravated by the things that used to drive her crazy. She hated admitting that she and Rachel were actually becoming friends, but she didn't really know any other word for it.

* * *

**If you follow me on social media or read my other story you already know this, but I'm going to London in two days, which means I won't be posting next Tuesday like I usually would be, so the next chapter won't be up for two weeks. Yes, I am going to see McQueen while I'm there, so yay for that. If you'd like to see pictures of my trip, there's a link to my Tumblr on my profile or you can just look invisimeg on there.**


	12. Relax

**Chapter 12 – Relax**

"How did the exam go?" Rachel called out the moment Quinn shut the front door.

Quinn shrugged as Rachel in the entryway. "It went okay."

"Just okay?" Rachel asked. "I find that difficult to believe; you've been studying all week, so I'm sure you did much better than okay. In fact, I'm sure you did great."

Quinn didn't have nearly as much confidence as Rachel did, but she shrugged again in acknowledgment. It wasn't as if she thought she failed or anything, but there were definitely a few questions she'd been iffy about. At worst, she thought she may have gotten a B, but considering she currently had a perfect GPA, she was really hoping she'd managed to get an A on the exam.

"How did Jack do?" Rachel asked

"He always says he bombed the exam, but then he always passes, so I don't know," Quinn answered.

Rachel nodded and then after a few moments said, "So, Jack seems nice."

"Yeah, he—" Quinn paused and looked at Rachel, raising her eyebrow. "I hope you're not interested in Jack, because I can say with complete certainty that you're not his type."

"Of course not," Rachel said. "While he is rather attractive, I can assure you I'm not interested in him."

"Good," Quinn replied.

Rachel put her hands on her hips. "Why? Would you have a problem if I were to date one of your friends?"

Quinn shook her head and began walking toward the living room. "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" Rachel asked, following behind Quinn.

"I just meant that Jack's gay and you would only get hurt if you did like him," Quinn said, turning around, and causing Rachel to nearly run into her.

"So you're simply looking out for my wellbeing?" Rachel said, looking a little skeptical.

Quinn shrugged. "I guess."

Quinn turned and started walking toward her bedroom, hoping to end the conversation, but she could hear Rachel's footsteps just behind her. When she opened the door and walked in, she didn't bother trying to close it behind her, knowing Rachel would just come in anyway. Well, she would probably knock, but it wasn't as if Quinn could pretend she wasn't there.

"What do you mean you guess?" Rachel asked the moment Quinn turned around. "There has to be a reason you don't want me interested in your friend, and if it's not—"

"Rachel!" Quinn interrupted, holding her hands up. "You're driving me crazy."

Rachel's shoulder slumped slightly, but Quinn wasn't going to apologize. Rachel was driving her crazy, and considering it was the first time she'd really said anything about it, she thought she'd been pretty restrained. If it had been any other situation, Quinn would have been completely upfront about it two months ago.

"You don't have to question everything I say," Quinn said after a few moments.

"I'm sorry," Rachel replied. "It's not my intention to drive you crazy. I know I can be a little intense someti—"

"Always," Quinn finished for her.

Rachel huffed. "I wouldn't say always."

"I would," Quinn argued. "I'm not saying you have to stop being you, but can you at least relax a little."

"I can't help but find that amusing coming from you," Rachel said, raising her eyebrows at Quinn.

"Why is that?" Quinn asked.

"Because you, Quinn, are the type who always has to be in control," Rachel replied, raising her chin.

"That's—" Quinn wanted to say that it was stupid, but she couldn't. She'd had so little control in her own home that she'd made up for it at school. It was why she enjoyed being the head cheerleader so much; not only did she have all the other cheerleaders to do whatever she said, but it allowed her to rule the rest of the school, too.

Other than her obvious annoyance with Rachel, the reason she'd hated living there so much was because she wasn't the one in control. Rachel was the one who got to make all the rules, and Quinn had no choice but to follow along, and she absolutely hated feeling so powerless.

"You would want to be in control, too, if you grew up with my parents," Quinn eventually said.

Rachel's face softened and she ducked her head. "I suppose we both have issues that we need to work through thanks to our parents. I try too hard to seek attention because it was the only way to get my fathers to notice I was there and your problems with not being in control."

"I guess we're both a little screwed up," Quinn remarked.

Rachel gave her a sad smile and shrugged. "I guess we can be screwed up together. Assuming you're not going to move out anytime soon."

"Not until the end of June," Quinn said.

Rachel nodded and glanced down for a moment before looking back up at Quinn. "I was thinking about watching a movie before I begin making dinner; would you like to join me?"

"I guess," Quinn replied with a shrug.

* * *

"He—"

Quinn's sentence died in her throat before she could even get the first word out. She'd come out of her room to see if Rachel could turn down her music a little, but instead of asking her anything, Quinn stood there in silence as she watched Rachel dance near the window. It wasn't something she hadn't seen before, but what Rachel was wearing was certainly something new. And very skimpy.

She was used to Rachel wearing a tank top and yoga pants of some kind, not a sports bra and the shortest shorts known to mankind. By now, she would have thought something like that wouldn't phase her—Brittany walked around half naked a considerable amount of time—but yet she found herself unable to speak.

"Quinn!" Rachel said just as Quinn turned around to walk back into her room. "You startled me!"

"Sorry," Quinn said, reluctantly turning around to face Rachel again.

"Did you need something or were you just coming in here?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, um," Quinn ran her hand through her hair, "I was going to ask if you would turn the music down a little."

"Oh, of course," Rachel said, picking up the remote and decreasing the volume. "Is that better?"

Quinn nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

"While you're here, would you like to order some dinner soon?" Rachel asked. "I've had a craving for pizza all day."

"Pizza's fine," Quinn replied, not really caring what she had for dinner.

"I'll go ahead and order it, then," Rachel said, walking into the living room, and grabbing her phone from the coffee table. "Would you like your usual on your half?"

"Sure," Quinn replied.

"I'll place the order right now, then," Rachel said, looking at her phone for a moment before bringing it up to her ear.

Quinn turned to leave, but Rachel held up her finger, indicating she wanted her to wait, so Quinn stopped. As Rachel put in the order for their pizza, Quinn kept her eyes on the floor and wondered if she should try to work on her paper some more or if she should just quit for the evening. It wasn't due for several weeks and she seemed to have a lull in assignments, so she could easily pick it back up the next day.

"Fifty minutes?" Rachel asked. "Okay, thank you."

"How much is it?" Quinn asked as Rachel lowered the phone.

"It's my treat," Rachel said, waving her off. "I forgot to ask earlier; did you ever find out what grade you got on your exam?"

Quinn shook her head. "He hasn't put up the grades yet."

"That's too bad," Rachel replied. "I'm sure the waiting must be torture. A lot of my teachers grade you right on the spot, which has its upsides and downsides. I've witnessed several of my fellow NYADA classmates break down in tears upon receiving a less than desirable grade. Of course, if you're going to be in show business, you need to be able to handle such things. I think that's why they do it; they like to try to prepare us for the real world. If you're not properly prepared, you'll never land a role." Rachel lightly cleared her throat and clasped her hands together. "Anyway, would you maybe like to watch a movie?"

Quinn shrugged and said, "I'm really not in the mood."

"Oh, okay," Rachel replied, sounding disappointed. "Well, I'll let you get back to your studying or whatever you were doing."

Quinn watched Rachel as she walked back over to where she had been dancing. The music was still playing, and Rachel skipped ahead several songs before finally finding one that seemed to suit her.

"Are you practicing for something?" Quinn asked, slowly walking toward the piano.

"I am," Rachel answered. "I would say more, but I'm afraid I will jinx myself, so I hope you understand."

Quinn's eyebrow rose at Rachel's secrecy. She hadn't know the brunette to keep anything to herself—even the things Quinn wished she would—but it seemed like she wasn't going to say anything more.

"I should know something by Thursday," Rachel added.

Quinn nodded. "Okay."

"I think I'll continue until the pizza has arrived," Rachel said, setting her remote on the piano bench. "I'll be certain to let you know the moment it's arrived."

Quinn nodded again and then began walking toward her room. Before going into her room, she glanced over at Rachel, who had begun practicing once again. After a few moments, though, she walked into her bedroom, closing the door behind her.

* * *

"Do you have any plans for next Friday?"

Quinn grabbed her toast from the toaster and set it on a plate before looking over her shoulder at Rachel. "I don't know. Why?"

She was pretty certain she didn't have any plans, but she would rather hear why Rachel was asking before letting her know that. The fact that Rachel looked overly excited made her wary about whatever she was about to ask her.

"Well, I just received an email from the Dean of the musical theater department," Rachel said as she took a seat on one of the stools. "Earlier this week, they held auditions for their annual showcase, where they pick the best students to represent the school in different disciplines. Unfortunately, I was not chosen to showcase my dancing, but I was chosen for my vocal ability."

"Congrats," Quinn said.

"Thank you," Rachel replied with a wide smile. "Anyway, I was wondering if you would like to attend. It's on the twentieth, and I know you may already have plans, but if you have the evening free, I was hoping you would come."

"Oh, um," Quinn hesitated as she tried to think of any reason not to go, "I think I may already have plans with Brittany."

Rachel looked disappointed for a moment, but then she nodded. "That's alright; I know it's rather short notice. If your plans change, will you think about coming?"

"Yeah, sure," Quinn replied.

Quinn instantly felt bad about lying to Rachel, but she really didn't want to spend an evening at NYADA. She didn't even like going to things at her own school, so going to some showcase at NYADA wasn't exactly appealing. And even though she felt guilty about lying, she figured it was less hurtful to say that she already had plans rather than just not wanting to go.

"Is that all you're eating?" Rachel asked when Quinn laid her plate of toast down on the counter.

"Well, I was thinking about fixing a quiche, but then I remembered I'm not a very good cook," Quinn replied.

"I could make one," Rachel said. "I'm very good at making quiches. Egg free, of course."

"I was joking," Quinn replied. "Yes, I'm only going to have some toast for breakfast."

"Oh, well, you may have been joking, but now I think I'm in the mood for quiche," Rachel said.

Quinn lightly laughed as she shook her head. "You're crazy."

"So I've been told before," Rachel said, giving her a smile before she opened the cabinet and pulled out a cookbook. "There's a delicious recipe in here for a spinach tofu quiche, and I believe I have everything to make it."

Quinn shook her head again and hopped onto the island. Rachel looked over her shoulder at her, and Quinn thought she was going to scold her for sitting on it, but she just grinned and then looked back at the cookbook.

Rachel hummed and said, "Well, I think we're out of basil, but I'm sure it won't hurt too much if I omit it."

"Who taught you to cook?" Quinn wondered.

"I taught myself," Rachel answered. "I had to or I would have eaten take-out every day, which isn't very healthy. My fathers were often too busy to cook dinner, so I began fixing it myself. I think I was nine at the time."

"Is that why you went to boarding school?" Quinn asked. "They were too busy?"

"Yes," Rachel answered after a moment. "It was my idea; I thought it would make things easier for everyone."

Quinn nodded and then asked, "Did it?"

Rachel sighed. "No. Well, maybe for my fathers, but it just made me even lonelier. I was there with several hundred other girls, but I still didn't have a friend in the world. I suppose I should have been used to it; I just thought things may be different there."

"I know what's it's like to not have any friends," Quinn said with a slight frown. "I didn't really have any until high school, and that was only because Brittany wanted to be my friend. I know how much it hurts."

"I can't imagine anyone not wanting to be your friend," Rachel remarked, looking over her shoulder at Quinn.

"And that was part of the problem in high school." Quinn said. "Once I was made head cheerleader, everyone wanted to be my friend, but not because they liked me. They just wanted the popularity that would come with it."

"So, you were lonely during high school?" Rachel asked.

"All the time," Quinn replied. "If it wasn't for Brittany, I probably would have gone crazy."

"I guess you're lucky you had one good friend," Rachel said.

Quinn nodded and said, "I was."

"Maybe I'll find that one day," Rachel replied as she looked back at the cookbook.

"I'm sure you will," Quinn softly said.

* * *

"Do you want to watch the movie with us?"

Brittany looked at Quinn in surprise the moment she'd asked Rachel the question. Brittany would have inevitably asked Rachel, though, so Quinn figured she should just ask before Rachel walked away. Not that Quinn really needed to ask; she already knew the answer before it ever left Rachel's mouth.

"I would love to join you," Rachel replied.

The brunette was smiling that smile that she had when her fathers were around. Quinn knew that it meant she was genuinely happy, and she figured it was because Rachel loved being included. Considering everything she'd said about her past, it wasn't a surprise; Rachel wasn't used to having friends to include her in things. Not that Brittany and Rachel were really friends, of course.

"I'm afraid I've never watched Clueless before," Rachel added.

"What?" Brittany asked. "How've you never seen it?"

Rachel shrugged. "I watched a lot of musicals and classic movies growing up."

"Clueless _is_ a classic," Quinn said as she walked over to the couch and took a seat in the middle.

Brittany nodded in agreement as she followed Quinn. "It's one of my favorite movies."

"I guess I should have said older classic movies," Rachel said, walking over, and joining Quinn and Brittany on the couch. "I've always been interested in watching it, but I guess I simply never found the time."

"Is it okay if I make some popcorn?" Brittany asked.

Rachel immediately stood and said, "I can make it for you."

"Third cabinet to the right of the fridge," Quinn said, grabbing Rachel's hand, and pulling her back down.

Rachel huffed and looked at Quinn. "You shouldn't make a guest fix their own popcorn."

"It's Brittany," Quinn replied.

"She's still a guest here," Rachel argued.

"I've known Brittany since we were fourteen and I lived with her for two and a half years," Quinn stated. "I can assure you she's perfectly fine making her own popcorn."

Rachel huffed again but didn't say anything else, and Quinn smiled, shaking her head at Rachel as she picked up the remote control from the coffee table. Brittany may technically be a guest there, but that didn't mean Rachel needed to do everything for her. Brittany was very good making herself at home anywhere—much to Quinn's parents' dismay whenever she came to the Fabray household—and it would be no exception there. That is as long as Rachel could relax long enough and stop trying to play the perfect hostess.

"Do you guys want any?" Brittany asked.

"I was thinking of making myself some of the white cheddar," Rachel answered

"I've got it," Brittany replied.

"But—"

"Relax," Quinn interrupted before Rachel could begin protesting. "You don't need to do everything when you have friends over; maybe it were someone else, but it's Brittany. She's perfectly happy making her own popcorn. In fact, she likes watching the bag while it's popping."

"So, is this what it's like to have friends?" Rachel asked.

Quinn shrugged. "I guess."

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Rachel watching her while she loaded Netflix. Quinn expected her to eventually look away, but she continued watching her, so Quinn asked, "What?"

"I just—" Rachel closed her mouth and gave Quinn a tight smile before looking down. "Thank you. I'm aware that I was a little irksome to you even though it was not my intention, so thank you for putting up with me."

Quinn nodded since saying, 'You're welcome,' didn't exactly feel right. Maybe in the beginning she was just tolerating Rachel, but now she wasn't entirely bad to have around. Some of the things she did still drove Quinn a little crazy, but she wasn't exactly ready to go smother her in her sleep or anything.

"You don't need to thank me," Quinn eventually replied.

"Yes, I do," Rachel said, shaking her head.

"You're the one letting me live here," Quinn reminded her.

"While that may be true, there was nothing in the roommate contract that said you have to interact with me in any way," Rachel replied. "You could easily spend every evening out of the apartment or hide in your room all day. It wouldn't be the first time such a thing occurred."

"Here," Brittany said, holding out the bag for Rachel.

"Thank you, Brittany," Rachel replied, smiling up at her before looking back over at Quinn. "Would you like any?"

"Maybe later," Quinn answered as she hit play.

Rachel nodded. "It is a bit hot at the moment, so that's probably a wise decision."

"Did I miss anything?" Brittany asked, plopping down next to Quinn.

Quinn glanced at Rachel and then after a moment they both said, "No."

"Okay," Brittany said, scooting down a bit, and resting her legs on the coffee table.

* * *

Quinn walked through the apartment, which was unusually quiet since Rachel wasn't home. She'd said something about needing to check the acoustics of something and then promptly left. Quinn didn't really know what she'd been going on about, but she hadn't asked her to clarify, figuring she would hear all about it whenever Rachel came home.

As Quinn began to walk into her bedroom, she stopped and took a couple steps back. There were several new picture frames on the wall that hadn't been there before, so Quinn walked over to them. Like most of the pictures around, Rachel was front and center in all of them. In fact, she was the only person in most of them. Quinn figured the new ones must have been taken whenever Rachel's dads were there because they were in a lot of them with their daughter. Even Quinn was in one, although she had no idea when Rachel had taken it. She was in the living room with Leroy and Hiram, and she couldn't recall being photographed at the time.

Quinn shook her head, glancing one last time at the pictures, and then walked into her room. She didn't know when Rachel was going to be home, but she figured she would get a little reading done before she came home. Just as she grabbed her book and sat down, though, her phone began buzzing. She didn't have to look at it to know who was calling; it was Sunday afternoon, and only one person usually called her then.

She thought about ignoring the call, but she'd avoided her mother's calls for a while, so after a few moments, she reluctantly picked up the phone and said, "Hi, mom."

"I was wondering if you were ever going to answer," her mom said in lieu of a greeting.

"Sorry, I was in the other room," Quinn replied

"I tried calling you last Sunday, but you never answered," Judy stated.

"Yeah, I had a huge exam last Monday, so I was studying all weekend," Quinn replied.

Her mother had actually called when she was taking a break from studying, but she wasn't going to tell her mom she was avoiding her call. They always ended up talking about the same four things—Quinn's dating life, school, how perfect Frannie's life was, and whatever gossip Judy had heard at church—and she needed a break from it some weekends.

"Oh, how did you do on this exam?" Judy asked.

"Fine," Quinn replied.

"How fine?" Judy asked.

"I got an A," Quinn answered.

"That's wonderful," Judy replied. "Oh, did I tell you Frannie is going to go back to school? She's going to get her master's degree in business. "Her and Ian's business is doing really well and they're opening a second store; she thought she would go to school to make the business even more successful."

"That's nice," Quinn automatically replied.

"Your father and I are going to visit her in Indiana next month," Judy continued. "Right after we visit you."

"I'm sure—wait, what?" Quinn asked, wondering if she'd heard what she thought she heard.

"Your father has a few weeks off from work," Judy said. "You know how he hates taking vacation time, but I thought it would be a good time to see you girls."

Quinn didn't know what to say; she didn't want her parents coming up there, but she knew there was no way to stop them. They had never come to visit her in the two and a half years she'd lived in New York, and she liked it that way. She knew they would have only criticized the apartment she shared with Brittany and Santana—as well as criticizing her two friends—but even now that she was living with Rachel, she wasn't thrilled with the idea.

"We were thinking April seventeenth," Judy added. "We'll fly up there, stay for about a week, and then we're going to fly to see Frannie and her family for a week. How does that sound?"

Quinn wanted to say that it sounded like a terrible idea, but that wasn't an option, so she said, "That sounds great."

"Wonderful!" Judy replied. "I'll let your father know, so I can make the arrangements."

"Quinn?" Rachel's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Yeah?" Quinn asked, and Rachel opened the door, sticking her head inside.

Who is that?" Judy asked.

"It's Rachel," Quinn answered. "I told her I would help her with a school thing."

"Oh, well, I should let you go, then," Judy replied. "I love you, Quinnie."

"I love you too," Quinn said, glancing over at Rachel. "Bye."

"I wasn't aware we had any plans," Rachel said as soon as Quinn ended the call.

"I know," Quinn replied.

"Who did you just lie to?" Rachel asked.

"My mom," Quinn replied, getting a look of disapproval from Rachel. "My parents are coming next month."

"Oh, well, that should be fun," Rachel replied.

"Fun definitely isn't the word I would use for it," Quinn said with a sigh.

"Maybe it won't be as bad as you think," Rachel replied, shrugging. "And since you told your mom you were going to help me, I could actually use your opinion on something. If you're willing to, of course."

"Yeah," Quinn said, setting her phone down on her bed. "I'll be there in a minute."

Rachel nodded, giving her a smile, and then quietly closed the door as she stepped out of the room.


	13. Sounds Good

**Chapter 13 – Sounds Good**

"I made waffles," Rachel announced the moment Quinn walked out of her bedroom.

Quinn yawned, shaking her head at Rachel. She still didn't know how anyone could be such a morning person, but Rachel almost always woke up chipper. And loud. Quinn, on the other hand, always felt extra moody in the morning and she really wasn't a fan of talking within an hour of waking. Usually not until she got some form of caffeine in her or at least had enough time to fully wake up. Rachel never seemed to have that problem, though; she woke up exactly as she'd gone to sleep—with far too much energy.

"Would you prefer syrup or a strawberry jam I picked up at the farmer's market a few days ago?" Rachel asked. "I know you like strawberries, so I thought you may like it."

"The jam sounds fine," Quinn answered. "I'm just going to—"

"Right," Rachel said, nodding in understanding. "Well, the waffles will be ready when you're out."

Quinn headed for the bathroom and came out a few minutes later to find two waffles on a plate and the aforementioned strawberry jam in front of her usual seat at the island. Rachel looked over her shoulder at Quinn and gave her a small smile before turning back to the waffle iron and carefully pulling the two waffles out.

"How did you sleep?" Rachel asked over her shoulder as Quinn sat down.

Quinn shrugged as she pulled her plate toward her. "As well as ever, I guess."

"Is it the bed?" Rachel asked, turning around, and setting her plate down. "If the bed is uncomfortable, I would be happy to purchase a new one."

Quinn shook her head and said, "The bed's fine. I just never sleep that well. I haven't in a long time."

"Have you thought about seeing a doctor about it?" Rachel asked. "Many people have sleep apnea and aren't aware of it. You could always do a sleep study."

"I think I'll pass," Quinn said.

Rachel gave a light shrug. "I'm simply saying you may want to look into it, so maybe you'll start feeling better in the morning."

"I think it's just called not being a morning person," Quinn remarked.

"Maybe, or maybe it's something else," Rachel replied. "But it's obviously your decision; I can only encourage you to talk to a professional about it."

"I'll be fine," Quinn said as she opened the jar.

"I hope you like that," Rachel said, standing on the tips of her toes to get a better look at the jam. "The man I purchased it from assured me it's the best jam in the world. He makes it himself from fruit he grows. All organic, of course. Anyway," Rachel stopped straining to look at the jar, "do you have any special plans for this week?"

"Not really," Quinn replied. "I'm going to do a little work, and I'm supposed to meet Brittany tomorrow, but I guess I'm just going to relax most of the time."

"It's too bad our spring breaks aren't at the same time," Rachel commented, giving Quinn a smile when she handed over the jar. "I've been thinking that it may be nice to spend a few days at the beach, but I would rather not go alone." Rachel glanced at her. "Maybe we could think about going this summer once school has let out. It may be a better time, anyway; it would certainly be much warmer then. What do you think?"

"I think I've never been to the beach," Quinn said.

"Really?" Rachel asked, looking surprised. "Never?"

Quinn shook her head. "My parents aren't really vacation type people. My father hates taking off work."

"And your mom?" Rachel asked.

"I guess it's harder to sit around drinking all day if you're on vacation," Quinn said with a shrug.

Rachel frowned. "So, your family never took a vacation?"

"We went skiing once, and we went to Disney World, but I was only four, so I barely remember it," Quinn replied.

That's too bad," Rachel said, giving her a sympathetic look. "Vacations can be a lot of fun. My fathers and I used to go someone every summer and sometimes during the winter holidays. It was actually one of the few times they would leave work behind and I could have their undivided attention. I looked forward to it all year."

"Aren't we a great pair," Quinn joked, spearing a piece of waffle with her fork.

"How is it?" Rachel asked before Quinn was done chewing her first bite.

"It's great," Quinn answered in complete honesty. "Thanks."

Rachel smiled widely. "I'm glad you like it. Do you want any orange juice?"

"Yeah, but I can get it," Quinn replied.

"Nonsense," Rachel said. "Let me."

Quinn reached out and grabbed Rachel's hand as she began to turn. "Sit down and eat. You fixed breakfast; the least I can do is get my own drink."

Nodding, Rachel did as Quinn had said and sat down across from her. "Okay."

"Thanks, though," Quinn said, releasing Rachel's hand after a few seconds, and giving her a small smile.

* * *

Quinn stopped and raised her eyebrow when she saw one of the pillows fly over the back of the couch. Rachel was literally throwing the cushions around, and the usually neat living room looked as if a tornado had gone through it.

"Um, what are you doing?" Quinn asked.

"Oh, Quinn!" Rachel said, obviously having not noticed her. "Have you seen my sheet music? I'm late for rehearsal and I can't find it anywhere."

"It was on the coffee table earlier," Quinn answered.

"That's what I thought, but I can't seem to find it anywhere," Rachel said, walking over to the love seat, and looking under the cushions.

Quinn walked toward the living room, picking the stray pillow up as she passed by. She tossed it onto the couch and then turned toward the coffee table, shuffling through the few papers that were sitting on it. It didn't look like it was there anymore, so Quinn asked, "Are you sure you didn't take it to your room or something?"

Rachel shook her head. "I'm certain I never moved it."

Quinn glanced around the living room for a moment and then titled her head as she looked toward the couch. If Rachel really hadn't moved the sheet music, and she knew she hadn't, then it was unlikely to have made its way under one of the cushions. However, it easily could have ended up on the floor, and if it wasn't within plain sight then there were only a few places it would have been.

"Here it is," Quinn said, reaching under the couch, pulling it out.

"You're a life saver!" Rachel said, rushing over to take it from her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Quinn replied with a shrug.

"I promise I will clean all of this up the moment I get home," Rachel said, waving her hand at the mess she'd made. "I wouldn't leave it like this, but I'm already late."

"It's fine," Quinn replied.

Quinn really didn't care if the living room was a little messy. Or, in this case, a lot messy. She'd lived with Santana, who could sometimes be a complete slob, for years. She'd learned long ago to not let a disheveled room bother her. If she hadn't, she would have gone crazy long before moving in with Rachel.

"I should be back in three or four hours," Rachel said as she walked over to the island and grabbed her bag. "If you need me, my cell phone will be on."

Quinn nodded, though she couldn't really foresee any reason she'd need to call Rachel. A moment later, Rachel had turned on her heel and was quickly walking to the door. As soon as the door was closed behind her, Quinn looked over her shoulder at the mess Rachel had created. Sighing, Quinn walked over and began picking up the pillows and blankets that were scattered around. Even if Rachel said she was going to pick everything up when she came home, Quinn didn't see a point in waiting.

As she began putting the couch cushions back into place, her phone began to buzz in her back pocket. She figured it was probably Brittany calling, but when she pulled out her phone, she saw that it was one of her parents calling. She thought about not answering, but it was unlike them to call in the middle of the week.

"Hello?" Quinn said, hoping nothing was wrong, because even if she didn't have the best relationship with her parents, she still didn't want anything to happen to either of them.

"Hi, Dear," Judy greeted. "I was hoping you would answer."

"Is everything okay?" Quinn asked.

"Yes, everything is fine," her mom replied. "I just wanted to touch base with you about our plans."

"Oh," Quinn said, relieved, and suddenly annoyed at herself for answering the phone.

"Your father and I were talking last night and we both agreed that it would be more convenient for everyone if we were to get a hotel for our stay," Judy said.

Quinn doubted it had anything to do with being more convenient for her, but she was more than okay with it regardless of the reason. She didn't mind giving her parents her room and sleeping on the couch, but she knew it would be even more uncomfortable having them stay there than when she went home for holidays.

"That's probably a good idea," Quinn agreed. "I'm sure you'll be more comfortable in a nice hotel."

As Judy began talking about the latest 'scandal' involving one of the woman who attended her church, Quinn put her mother on speakerphone and began putting the couch cushions back into place. It was obvious it wasn't going to be a short conversation given the salacious nature of the gossip, so once everything was put back in its place, Quinn grabbed a book and settled onto the couch.

* * *

Quinn lightly knocked on Rachel's bedroom door and then took a step back. She wasn't entirely sure that Rachel was even in her room, but she wasn't anywhere else and Rachel usually let her know when she was going go somewhere. She almost immediately heard movement on the other side of the door, and a few seconds later, the door opened.

"I wasn't disturbing you, was I?" Rachel asked.

"No," Quinn replied. "I wasn't even sure you were home."

"Oh, well, is there something I can help you with?" Rachel asked.

"Actually, I just wanted to let you know that my plans changed for Friday, so if you still want me to come to your show—"

"You're going to attend!?" Rachel asked, obviously trying to keep her excitement down.

"If you want me to," Quinn said with a light shrug.

"Of course I want you to!" Rachel replied as she practically jumped up and down.

Quinn was surprised when Rachel threw her arms around her neck, hugging her tightly. Quinn couldn't help but laugh and shake her head. She really wasn't used to be hugged by anyone but Brittany—her family wasn't exactly known for being affectionate—but after a few moments, she slowly put her arms around Rachel and awkwardly hugged her back. Thankfully, the hug only last a few more seconds before Rachel pulled away.

"I'm so happy," Rachel said, smiling widely.

"I couldn't tell," Quinn joked.

"What happened to your plans with Brittany?" Rachel asked.

"Santana wanted to do something, so we postponed them," Quinn lied.

Quinn wasn't exactly sure what made her finally change her mind. Yeah, she felt a little guilty about lying to Rachel, but it wasn't like it was the first time she'd been less than truthful with her. Still, it bad been at the back of her mind since Rachel had asked her, and while she was tossing and turning the night before, she finally decided to go.

"You won't regret it," Rachel promised. "It's going to be so much fun."

Quinn could think of plenty of other ways she'd rather spend her night, but she nodded, nonetheless. She wasn't huge on musicals and she could imagine most of the people would be singing show tunes. She hoped she was wrong, but considering a lot of the students that went to NYADA were majoring in musical theater, it only made sense.

"Would any of your friends like to join you?" Rachel asked. "I can get them a ticket."

"Brittany and Santana already have plans, and I don't know if it would be Jack's sort of thing," Quinn replied

Rachel nodded. "Well, if anything changes, just let me know. And if Jack is single, he may be interested in attending; I'm sure there will be plenty of handsome, eligible, gay and bisexual men there. It is NYADA, after all. I could even introduce him to a few of my fellow classmates."

"I'll let him know," Quinn replied, knowing it may be enough to entice him into going.

"It'll be nice to have a familiar face there," Rachel remarked, walking out of her room.

Quinn frowned. "Don't you know the people from your classes?"

"Yes, but we're all very competitive," Rachel replied. "Everyone there wants to be the best, so you don't really get a lot of support from anyone." Rachel shrugged. "I suppose we're being prepared for the real world. There aren't a lot openings if you want to be a Broadway star, I'm going to be competing with people for the rest of my life, and none of them are going to be rooting for me. Even if you're friends with someone, when you're on that stage, they're not your friend."

"Sounds stressful," Quinn commented.

"It can be, but there's also nothing I would rather do," Rachel replied. "I know I was born to perform; I've known it since before I can even remember. I've spent countless hours taking lessons and rehearsing to make sure I'm the best I can be. I may not have chosen the easiest profession, but all of it will be worth it the first time I step onto that Broadway stage." Rachel paused and smiled softly. "I'm really glad you decided to go, Quinn."

"It's not really a big deal," Quinn said with a shrug.

Rachel shook her head. "It is to me. Thank you."

Quinn hesitated for a moment, but then said, "You're welcome."

* * *

"You're a lifesaver," Jack said, taking Quinn's notebook with a smile.

"I guess that makes us even," Quinn replied.

"What kind of professor talks this much right before spring break starts?" Jack asked, flipping toward the newest pages of notes. "He's insane. Was anyone even there?"

Quinn shrugged and said, "About half the class."

"I'm shocked that many were there," Jack remarked. "I'm not surprised you were there, though; I don't think I've ever met anyone who's so dedicated to school."

"If you grew up where I did, you'd be dedicated, too," Quinn replied. "It was the only way I was going to get out of that place."

"Hey, are you going to that extra credit thing tomorrow night?" Jack asked.

"I already have plans," Quinn said, shaking her head. "Rachel invited me to something at NYADA."

"What kind of thing?" Jack asked.

"Some showcase the school has every year; Rachel's singing," Quinn replied.

"And you're actually going?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Quinn said before rolling her eyes at herself.

"Well, I'll get these back to you on Monday unless you have some burning to desire to have them before then," Jack said, holding up the notebook.

Quinn opened her mouth to tell him Monday was fine, but then she thought about what Rachel had said. She hadn't really planned on asking Jack to come, figuring he was probably busy, but then he'd texted her and asked if he could borrow her notes from the class he'd missed.

"Actually, Rachel wanted me to invite you too," Quinn said. "If you want to come, you could always bring it if you're done."

Jack's eyebrows rose and looked amused. "She wants me to come?"

"I think she just wants people there," Quinn said, shrugging. "If it helps, she said there would be plenty of single men there."

"Really?" Jack said, suddenly looking more interested. "What kind of guys?"

"How did I know that would make you think about it?" Quinn asked, lightly laughing.

"Because you know as well as I do that there are no good men at this school," Jack replied. "They're either completely uptight or really weird. Or worse—straight."

"She offered to introduce you to a few guys," Quinn said, knowing Jack would be unable to say no."

"What time tomorrow?" Jack asked

Quinn tried not to smile as she said, "Seven."

"I guess I could come by," Jack said. "You know, since I don't really have any plans or anything."

Something told Quinn that he would find a way to go even if he did have plans. Jack was always looking for his next date, but he'd had notoriously bad luck. He'd had far less luck than even her, and over the past few years, she'd heard about all of his terrible dates. As amusing as it was, she knew how much he would love to have an actual relationship.

"Do you know where NYADA is?" Quinn asked.

"Yeah, I've been there a couple times," Jack said. "I think I can find it, and if I can't, I'll text you and ask you where the hell I'm supposed to be." Jack laughed. "Sound good?"

Quinn nodded. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Yeah, see ya," Jack said. "And thanks again; I'll copy it all down tonight and give it back to you tomorrow."

"There's no rush," Quinn replied. "It's spring break; I'm taking it easy."

"That's a first," Jack joked.

"Very funny," Quinn replied.

Jack gave her a smile and then began walking toward the door, but stopped to look over his shoulder. "See ya."

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "Later."

Quinn put her bag on her shoulder as she watched Jack head out of the library. She'd briefly thought about getting in a little studying while she was there, and she had even brought one of her books, but she'd ultimately decided on the way that she'd rather take it easy. She only had a few days left of her spring break and she was going to try to enjoy them. She did enough studying the rest of the semester; she figured it wouldn't hurt too badly to take the majority of the week off.

* * *

"Wow," Jack said the moment the lights came up.

Quinn couldn't really disagree. She hadn't exactly been enthusiastic about going to the NYADA showcase, but she found it hard to regret going. She knew there was steep competition to get into the school, but she had no idea just how talented everyone was. Honestly, if she had to pick the students out from a group of professionals, she didn't think she would be able to. And Rachel had been the best out of all of them.

"Why didn't you tell me she was so good?" Jack asked.

Quinn shrugged and said, "I didn't really know."

"But you were always complaining about her singing in the apartment," Jack remarked.

"You would complain, too, if she woke up at five in the morning," Quinn replied.

"Okay, yeah, probably," Jack agreed.

Quinn knew Rachel could sing—she'd heard her plenty of times in the apartment—but it was different seeing her on stage. And she could see why Rachel said she belonged up there; it was impossible not to keep your full attention on her. There was something about her that was almost mesmerizing when she was on stage, and Quinn knew it just wasn't her. Rachel had gotten a standing ovation from the whole room, which no one else had gotten.

"I was afraid tonight was going to be boring, but that was actually kind of awesome," Jack said, scratching the back of his head.

"I know," Quinn replied. "Although, don't tell Rachel that; she has a big enough ego."

Jack laughed. "With a voice like that, I can see why. I'd probably have an ego, too."

Even though Rachel did have a bit of an ego, Quinn was just glad she wasn't cocky like some of the people she'd met in high school and in college. If anything, Rachel was confident, but she had every right to be. Quinn knew you had to be confident if you were going to make it anywhere in the entertainment industry.

"Where are we supposed to go now?" Jack asked.

"She said to just wait here," Quinn replied. "She said she won't be long."

"Good," Jack said. "I want to see these single men I was promised."

"There she is," Quinn said, noticing Rachel emerging from a side door.

Rachel had already changed out of her dress and into a grey skirt with a black top, and her hair was pulled up into a ponytail. On stage she had worn an elegant white and gold dress that wouldn't have been out of place on a red carpet. It was quite the departure from her usual skirts and sweaters, and it had left Quinn a little surprised. She thought Rachel had no fashion sense at all, but if she was capable of picking out that dress then maybe there was actually some hope for her.

"How was it?" Rachel asked as soon as she was within speaking distance.

"It was good," Quinn answered.

"Yeah, you were awesome," Jack added.

"Really?" Rachel asked, smiling widely as she looked over at Quinn for confirmation.

"Yeah," Quinn said, giving her a smile back. "You were great."

Rachel ducked her head, but Quinn could still see the smile on her face. "Thank you."

"So, what are we doing now?" Jack asked.

"Now, I would like to introduce you to someone," Rachel replied. "He should be out in a few minutes. His name is Logan, he's in the musical theater program with me, and he's very sweet. You may remember him; he was in the opening dance number. He has blonde hair and was wearing a maroon shirt."

"Oh, yeah!" Jack replied. "He was really cute."

"Well, he's over there," Rachel said, taking Jack's arm, and turning him around. "Let me introduce you. Maybe you two could go get coffee or even dinner." She looked at Quinn and smiled. "I'll be right back."

Quinn watched as Jack and Rachel walk over to the guy Rachel had indicated. She could tell by the way Jack stood up straighter that he was definitely interested in making a good impression with the guy, which was understandable since he was certainly on the attractive side. And while Jack wasn't the superficial type, being attracted to someone definitely didn't hurt when you were looking for a relationship.

"I think that went well," Rachel said, looking over her shoulder as she walked toward Quinn. "They're going to have coffee." Rachel looked at her. "I hope you don't mind that he's going."

Quinn shrugged. "It's fine."

"Did you eat before you came?" Rachel asked.

"No," Quinn replied. "I was running late, so I came right here."

"Would you maybe like to watch a movie tonight?" Rachel asked. "We could pick up a pizza on the way home. Or Chinese or whatever you would prefer."

"Pizza sounds good," Quinn said with a shrug.

"And the movie?" Rachel asked.

"The movie sounds good, too," Quinn replied.

"Great!" Rachel said. "Just let me find the Dean of the musical theater program so I can thank her for choosing me to participate in the showcase and then I will be ready."

"Shouldn't she be the one thanking you?" Quinn asked.

"Why do you say that?" Rachel asked.

Quinn paused for a moment but then said, "Because you were obviously the star of the showcase."

Rachel smiled at her again, ducking her head, and then reaching out and touching Quinn's arm for a moment as she said, "I'll be right back."

"I'll be right here," Quinn replied.


	14. Dance With Me

**Chapter 14 – Dance With Me**

"Thanks," Quinn said as the waitress set the plate down in front of her.

"Do you need anything else?" she asked.

Brittany shook her head and Quinn said, "I think we have everything. Thanks."

"What are you doing this weekend?" Brittany asked as the waitress began walking away.

Quinn shrugged. "I don't know; I'll probably study some."

"But what are you doing when you're not studying?" Brittany asked.

"I'm not sure yet," Quinn replied. "Why?"

"I was wondering if you'd want to come out with me and San this weekend," Brittany said.

"I don't think so," Quinn replied.

"Why not?" Brittany asked, frowning.

Brittany should know exactly why she didn't want to go. If it had just been Brittany then she wouldn't have a problem with going, but she could think of a million ways she would rather spend her weekend than with Santana. She kept hoping things between them could go back to the way they were in high school or when they first started living together, but that obviously wasn't going to happen. And it wasn't even as if they'd ever had a typical friendship, but at least Santana wasn't constantly at her throat every single time they were in the same room together.

"I know you and Santana aren't really best friends anymore, but it's just a night," Brittany said when Quinn raised her eyebrow rather than giving her an answer. "We haven't really gone out anywhere in a long time and I miss it. Santana promised me she'll be nice, and I've told her no sex for a month if she isn't."

"I don't know," Quinn said as she picked up a fry.

"I promise Santana won't do anything," Brittany stated. "I'm serious about the no sex."

Quinn rolled her eyes but was smiling. A night out with Brittany would be fun, and she was right that they hadn't really gone out in a while. She knew Brittany missed the way things were, and she did, too. She just didn't want Santana ruining everything by being her usual caustic self. On the other hand, if Santana did manage to behave for the evening, Quinn could probably stand to be around her. At least for a few hours.

"Okay, but the first time she says anything—"

"She won't," Brittany promised. "And she wasn't _that_ bad last time."

"It wasn't good," Quinn remarked.

"But you'll go?" Brittany asked.

"Yeah." Quinn sighed softly, "I'll go."

Brittany smiled. "Awesome."

"I really hope I don't regret this," Quinn said, running her hand through her hair.

"You won't," Brittany said before taking a bite of her burger.

Quinn knew she was inevitably going to regret it, but it was going to make Brittany happy, and there was always the off chance that the evening could turn out okay. And it was just one evening; she'd put up with Santana for years, so what was a couple hours? She would just ignore her and spend time with Brittany, her actual friend.

"How's things going with Rachel?" Brittany asked.

Quinn shrugged. "Fine."

"Are you two friends now?" Brittany asked, looking hopeful.

Quinn paused, but after a few moments she finally said, "Yeah."

"I knew you would be eventually," Brittany said, suddenly looking excited. "I told San that I thought you could be really good friends. She didn't think so, but I was right."

"Well, I never thought we would be," Quinn replied.

Truthfully, she didn't ever think she would be able to stand to be in the same room with Rachel let alone become friends with her. She wasn't even sure when things began to change because it happened so slowly, but it was impossible to classify them as anything other than friends at that point.

"That's because you don't like to let people close to you," Brittany said.

Quinn frowned and shook her head. "That's not—"

"It's true," Brittany interrupted. "You don't wanna let people close because you don't want to be hurt. San's the same way. You both push people away whenever they try to be friends with you." Quinn looked away, but Brittany added, "I think you both do it because of your parents. San was so afraid everyone would hate her when they found out she was different. And if no one really knows you, you can't disappoint them, right? Like you think you do with your parents."

"Can we please talk about something else?" Quinn asked, really not wanting to get into this with Brittany or anyone else.

"Maybe talking about it would help," Brittany suggested with a shrug.

"I doubt it," Quinn replied.

"Fine," Brittany said with a sigh. "We won't talk about it."

"Good," Quinn replied.

"Can we talk about what you did this weekend?" Brittany asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied, picking up her hamburger. "We can talk about that."

* * *

Quinn sighed and leaned back on her bed as she ran her hand over her face. She'd been staring at the book for nearly two hours and she felt like she was no further along than when she started. It was probably the most boring thing she'd ever read in her life and it was taking all of her energy not to fall asleep. She was just glad she'd started reading it so early; at the rate she was going, she would be done just in time for the end of the semester.

When she heard a light knock at her door, she breathed a slight sigh of relief. She told herself she wouldn't stop until she was halfway through the book, so she was more than thankful for the distraction.

"Come in," Quinn said, throwing her book to the side, and sitting up.

"Sorry to bother you," Rachel said as she opened the door.

"You're not," Quinn replied.

"Are you studying?" Rachel asked, taking a few steps into the room.

"Just reading," Quinn replied.

"So I _am_ bothering you?" Rachel said.

"Rachel, it's fine," Quinn said, shaking her head in amusement. "Believe me, I'm more than happy to take a break."

Rachel nodded. "Bad book?"

"Boring book," Quinn replied.

"Well, I just wanted to ask your opinion on something," Rachel said. "It shouldn't take more than a few minutes if you were willing to help."

"What do you need help with?" Quinn asked.

"An outfit," Rachel replied. "You're more fashionable than I am and if you could help me pick out an outfit I would be forever grateful."

Quinn's eyebrow rose. "Why are you suddenly so worried about your wardrobe choices?"

"Well, I'm meeting someone this evening and I would like to look nice," Rachel said, looking down at her hands, seemingly avoiding Quinn's eyes.

"Oh," Quinn replied. "You have a date."

"Don't sound too surprised," Rachel said.

"I'm not," Quinn replied. "I just—" Quinn shook her head. "never mind."

"Well, everything is laid out in my room," Rachel said. "I was trying to decide, but I was torn, so I thought it would be wise to get a second opinion."

Quinn scooted off the bed and ran her hand through her hair as she stood. She stretched for a moment, tired from sitting for so long, and then followed Rachel out of the room. When they walked into Rachel's bedroom, it looked like her closet had exploded over everything. She could barely see Rachel's comforter for all the dresses, and there were more hanging from the knobs on the dresser and even one hanging from the floor lamp in the corner of the room.

"Pardon the mess," Rachel said, looking over at her with a slight smile on her face.

"You weren't wrong about being torn," Quinn remarked as she looked around at the mess.

"Well, I've never been very good at knowing what to wear," Rachel replied. "I think you can agree with that."

"So, who's the guy," Quinn said as she picked up one of the dresses and scrunched her nose at it.

"Someone from one of my classes," Rachel replied, taking the dress Quinn handed toward her. "Do you want me to try this on?"

"No, burn it," Quinn replied.

"Very funny," Rachel said, holding up the dress. "It's not _that_ bad."

"You're right," Quinn grabbed another dress and smirked at Rachel, "it's worse."

Rachel narrowed her eyes at Quinn but then looked away. "Anyway, his name is Drew and he's in one of my dance classes. I didn't think he'd noticed me, but then he started talking to me last week and he asked me out."

"On a Tuesday?" Quinn asked.

"Actually, he asked me to go out with him this past weekend, but I told him I was busy with the showcase," Rachel said with a shrug.

"The showcase was Friday," Quinn stated. "Why didn't you just go out with him on Saturday?"

"He had prior plans," Rachel replied.

Quinn hummed and tossed several more dresses to the side, wondering why Rachel ever thought they would be a good choice to wear on a date. One left far too little to the imagination, one looked like it should be worn to a funeral, and the third looked like it wouldn't be out of place on a ninety year old.

"What's wrong with that one?" Rachel asked when Quinn tossed another dress into the reject pile.

"Turquoise isn't your color," Quinn replied before handing Rachel a simple black dress. "Put this one on."

"It isn't too simple?" Rachel asked, holding the dress up to her body, and looking down at it.

Quinn shook her head. "No, it's perfect."

"Thank you, Quinn," Rachel said, smiling at her. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

* * *

"Are you doing anything tomorrow night?" Quinn asked as she leaned against the island.

"No," Rachel said, looking over her shoulder. "My weekend is wide open."

Quinn nodded and asked, "You don't have another date with Doug?"

"Drew, and no," Rachel replied. "I don't think there is going to be a second date. We had class today and he didn't exactly acknowledge my presence."

"Sorry," Quinn said.

Rachel shook her head. "Don't be. It was pretty clear he wasn't the person I was meant to be with. We surprisingly had very little in common, and while he was quite attractive, there was simply no spark between us. If he had asked me on a second date, I would have politely declined. Anyway, why do you ask?"

"Brittany talked me into going out with her and Santana tomorrow night and I thought I would see if you wanted to come along," Quinn replied. "You'd have to put up with Santana all night, but—"

"I would love to go," Rachel interrupted.

"You heard the part about Santana being there, right?" Quinn asked.

Rachel laughed. "Yes, I heard. I know Santana doesn't like me very much, but I still think it could be fun. Where are we going, anyway?"

"They haven't said," Quinn replied. "Brittany was talking about some club, though."

"Well, whatever we do, I'm sure it will be great," Rachel said.

"You're more optimistic than I am about it," Quinn remarked. "Personally, I'm just hoping Santana and I don't end up in a rolling around on the floor, punching each other."

Rachel smiled. "I can't really see you in a physical altercation."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Quinn admitted.

"Really?" Rachel asked in surprise. "You've been in a fight before."

"Once," Quinn said, rolling her eyes. "Santana and I slapped each other and she pushed me against a locker before one of the teachers pulled us apart. I don't even remember what it was about; I'm sure it was over something stupid."

"In boarding school, one of the other girls tried to confront me about trying to turn her friends against her," Rachel said. "It was utterly ridiculous and a complete lie, of course. I'd never even spoken to this girl's friends before, so I don't know why she ever thought I'd tried such a thing. She threatened to hit me, but I told her I would call the police on her if she ever dared to touch me. Thankfully, she backed off after that."

"Would you have really called the police?" Quinn wondered.

"Of course," Rachel replied. "I wasn't going to let her threaten me, and I certainly wasn't going to let her get away with damaging my face if it came to that."

"Did you hate boarding school?" Quinn wondered.

"Yes and no," Rachel said, shrugging. "It had its benefits, but also its downsides. I got a very good education, but if I thought I was lonely at home, it was nothing compared to being there." Rachel ducked her head. "At least at home I was truly alone most of the time. When you're around that many people and you still don't have anyone to talk to or to care about you, it's even worse. And I didn't exactly have any friends there."

"None?" Quinn asked.

Rachel shook her head and gave Quinn a sad smile. "I had a few people who tolerated me a little more than others, but no, I can't say that I had any friends."

Quinn could understand not immediately warming up to Rachel—she was a little intense and annoying upon first meeting her—but considering Rachel was at boarding school for years, she found it hard to believe she didn't make a single friend the whole time. Of course, if she'd met Rachel during high school, she doubted they would be friends; in fact, she probably would have made it her mission in life to torture Rachel every chance she got. Then again, she was a bit of a bitch in high school, and she would have done anything to stay at the top of the social ladder.

"But it's fine," Rachel added. "I learned to grow from it, and I think it was a good experience for my professional development."

"I guess that's one way to look at it," Quinn said.

"So, what would you like for breakfast?" Rachel asked, turning toward the fridge, and opening the door. "I was thinking about maybe fixing breakfast burritos. How does that sound to you? I purchased some vegan bacon and sausage the other day, so you would have your choice of breakfast meats."

"Breakfast burritos are fine," Quinn replied before pausing for a moment. "Do you want any help?"

Rachel looked over her shoulder and smiled. "That would be great."

* * *

"This place is loud!" Rachel said, practically shouting into Quinn's ear.

"Clubs usually are," Quinn replied.

"Anyone want anything to drink?" Brittany asked, turning around to look at them. "My treat."

"I think they can get their own drinks, B," Santana said, putting her hand on her girlfriend's arm.

"Thank you, but I'm only twenty," Rachel replied, looking at Brittany. "And the last time I drank—well, let's just say it didn't go so well."

"I remember," Quinn said, her eyebrow rising.

"Needless to say, I won't be drinking anytime soon," Rachel added. "I would rather not, pardon my language, make an ass out of myself so soon after the last time."

"So no drink for the nun here." Santana rolled her eyes and then looked at Quinn. "What about you?"

"I'll pass," Quinn said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You can drink, you know?" Rachel said to Quinn as soon as Santana grabbed Brittany's arm and began pulling her away. "I don't care if I'm the only lame one here."

Quinn shook her head. "I'm fine. Truthfully, I hate the taste of alcohol, and as you know, I'm not exactly one for losing control." Quinn shrugged. "I've never seen much of a point in drinking."

"I can understand the appeal," Rachel replied. "Sometimes it's nice to just forget about everything."

"Maybe, but it's less fun when you have a hangover the next morning," Quinn remarked.

"Fair enough," Rachel said with a light laugh. "I'm certainly not in disagreement."

"I brought you some water in case you're thirsty," Brittany said, appearing next to them, holding out two small cups.

"Thanks," Quinn replied.

"Yes, thank you," Rachel said with a smile. "That was very considerate of you."

Santana rolled her eyes but thankfully didn't say anything. Quinn really didn't want to get into it with her, but she also didn't want Santana to spend the night insulting Rachel. She knew it was just part of Santana's personality, but that didn't mean she had to keep putting up with it.

"Let's dance!" Brittany said when the music changed, and Quinn recognized it as one of Brittany's favorite. "C'mon!"

"Me?" Rachel asked, looking surprised.

"Why not?" Brittany asked, shrugging.

Rachel's eyes widened. "Oh, I—"

"She can dance with Quinn," Santana said, pushing Rachel toward the blonde, causing her to stumble into Quinn. "You are going to dance with me."

Santana leaned up and pulled Brittany into a heated kiss. Quinn and Rachel both looked away, the latter's face red with embarrassment. After a few moments, they finally stopped trying to swallow each other's tongues, and Brittany started pulling Santana toward the dance floor.

"So, um, would you want to dance with me?" Rachel asked after a few minutes of awkward silence.

Quinn opened her mouth to answer but closed it when she looked over and saw Rachel look up at her. She had no idea why Santana had suggested it other than to get Brittany to dance with her, but now Rachel had put the question out there and she didn't know what to say.

"Quinn?" Rachel asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"Um, yeah—okay," Quinn said after a second.

Rachel smiled and offered her hand to Quinn, who glanced around for a moment before reluctantly taking it. Rachel squeezed her hand, still smiling at her, and then led them onto the dance floor. Brittany smiled at them as they passed by, but Santana had an evil smirk on her face that always made Quinn a little nervous.

"You're rather good at this," Rachel commented as she and Quinn began dancing together.

Quinn shrugged as she put her hand on Rachel's hip. "I had a few dance lessons."

"Really?" Rachel asked.

"My cheerleading coach thought it would help us win Nationals," Quinn said.

Rachel nodded and then asked, "Did it?"

"We won all four years I was on the team," Quinn replied.

"I'm not surprised," Rachel said, smiling. "You're amazing at everything you do."

"I don't know about that," Quinn replied, rolling her eyes.

"I do," Rachel said. "You're smart, you're beautiful, and you're very talented."

"Are you my own personal cheerleader?" Quinn joked.

"I can be," Rachel replied, smiling again.

"Jesus, will you two just make out and get it over with."

Quinn rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, Rachel said, "Santana, will you please focus on your own relationship and stay out of ours?"

"So there's a relationship?" Santana asked with a smirk. "You mean you've finally decided to drop the 'I hate her' act and finally get it on with her?"

"Will you shut up?!" Quinn said through gritted teeth.

"I didn't mean romantic relationship," Rachel corrected.

"Santana," Brittany said in warning before she could say anything else.

"I'm just saying what we all know," Santana said, holding her hands up in surrender.

"Maybe I should have gotten that drink," Quinn quietly said with a sigh.

"Maybe we both should have," Rachel said, looking up at her with a wry smile.

* * *

"This movie is so unrealistic," Rachel remarked.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Don't you like musicals?"

"Yes," Rachel replied. "I fail to see the relevance."

"My point is people randomly breaking out into song isn't exactly realistic," Quinn stated.

Rachel shrugged. "It isn't completely unheard of. I've been known to do it on occasion."

"Of course you have." Quinn said, shaking her head.

"I mean, I didn't exactly create an original song off the top of my head about whatever situation I was in at the time, but I think it still applies," Rachel said, looking over at her with a smile.

"And who cares if it's unrealistic?" Quinn asked. "All movies are unrealistic. All _stories_ are unrealistic if you think about it."

"I don't think all stories are unrealistic," Rachel argued.

"Fine, but most of them are," Quinn replied. "People don't have superpowers, they can't live in space, they don't fall in love at first sight, they—"

"Wait," Rachel said, holding up her hand. "You don't think people can fall in love at first sight?"

"No, I don't," Quinn answered. "Do you?"

"Of course," Rachel replied. "Okay, maybe not love at first sight, but I think you can meet a person and know they're going to be important. That they're going to change your life. Maybe you don't instantly fall in love with them on the spot, but I think you can know in some way that you're going to love that person one day."

"You really believe that?" Quinn wondered.

"Yes, I do," Rachel replied. "Very much."

Quinn's eyebrow rose and she looked back at the television. "Well, I don't believe that. I think you fall in love with someone over time, not in an instant."

"We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one," Rachel said, pausing the movie, and standing up. "I think I'm going to get another slice of pizza. Would you like one, too?"

"Um, yeah," Quinn replied, looking up at her. "Thanks."

"So, you've really never met anyone and just knew they were going to be important to you?" Rachel asked, looking over her shoulder as she walked toward the kitchen.

Quinn shook her head and said, "No."

Rachel hummed and opened the pizza box. Quinn could tell she wanted to say something else by the way she kept glancing at her, but she remained silent as she pulled out two pieces of pizza and set them on a napkin. She then grabbed a handful of other napkins and began walking back into the living room.

"May I ask you a question?" Rachel asked as she placed one of the slices on Quinn's plate and handed Quinn a napkin.

"If I said no would that stop you?" Quinn asked back.

"No," Rachel said, smiling.

"Then go on," Quinn replied.

"Have you ever been in love?" Rachel asked as she took her seat on the couch. "And I don't mean love at first sight since you don't believe in it, but have you ever fallen in love with someone? I mean, you had a boyfriend in high school, right? Did you love him?"

"No," Quinn said, shaking her head. "I didn't. My boyfriend in high school—he wasn't really someone I would have dated if he hadn't been the most popular boy in school. I was determined to be on top of the social ladder and he was just another way to stay there. He was the quarterback and I was the head cheerleader; us dating was what was expected. And no, I've never been in love."

"Why was popularity so important to you?" Rachel asked.

"My parents," Quinn said after a few moments. "My sister was the head cheerleader, valedictorian, homecoming queen, prom queen—she was perfect. At least according to my parents she was. I thought if I could be all those things, too, they would finally think I was good enough. Not to mention that if you're popular, you can control the school, and I needed to be in control somewhere."

"Did it work?" Rachel asked.

"The control part, yes," Quinn replied.

"And the parents part?" Rachel asked.

Quinn cocked her eyebrow. "What do you think?"

"With the way you speak about your parents, I'm guessing no," Rachel replied, giving her a sympathetic smile.

"No," Quinn said, leaning forward, and grabbing the remote from the coffee table.

"For what it's worth, I think they're wrong about it," Rachel replied. "They may not realize how perfect you are, but I can see it."

Quinn shook her head and said, "I'm far from perfect. Everyone has flaws; I know I certainly do."

Rachel shrugged. "Maybe so, but I tend to think you have less flaws than most people."

"There you go again," Quinn said, looking over at Rachel.

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked.

"You being my own personal cheerleader," Quinn replied.

"Do you want me to stop?" Rachel asked. "I can't guarantee I can stop completely, but if you want me to, I could try."

Quinn opened her mouth but paused for a moment before saying, "Let's just watch the rest of the movie."

"Okay," Rachel replied, giving her a smile. "We can do that."


	15. A Night Out

**Chapter 15 – A Night Out**

"So, what are you doing this evening?" Jack asked as he slung his bag over his shoulder. "Wait, let me guess—you're studying."

Quinn raised her eyebrow. "You know, studying isn't all I do."

"No, you also hang out with Rachel," Jack said, grinning. "Is that what you're doing tonight, then? Hanging out with your roommate?"

"I don't know what I'm doing tonight," Quinn replied. "This morning Rachel was talking about some new cookbook she bought yesterday, so I can imagine there's a dinner in my future."

"You two have been spending a lot of time together lately," Jack remarked.

"I guess," Quinn replied.

"It's kinda funny," Jack said with a laugh. "A few months ago you could barely stand the sight of her and now you're willingly going out of your way to be around her. You used to complain about her every single day and now you're friends. I didn't think I'd ever see the day."

"Neither did I," Quinn replied.

Truthfully, it was the last thing she expected to happen when she moved in with Rachel. Smothering Rachel with a pillow seemed more likely than actually becoming friends with her, but then things changed. She wasn't even really sure what the tipping point was, but at some point, Rachel had become less annoying and started acting like an actual person.

"Are you ever going to tell me about Saturday?" Quinn asked.

"And what was Saturday?" Jack said, though she could tell by his smile that he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Rachel told me you and Logan went on a date," Quinn replied.

"Oh, that," Jack said. "It was—you know."

Jack shrugged and Quinn rolled her eyes at him. She didn't know why he was suddenly being so cryptic. He always told her about his dates, usually complaining about how terrible they were or how much of a dud the guy was, so it was weird that he was suddenly being coy about this one.

"Are you going to tell me or I'm going to have to guess?" Quinn asked.

"It was great, okay?" Jack said. "Rachel has great taste, but I guess I already knew that."

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked.

"Nothing," Jack replied. "I didn't mean anything. Seriously, though, she couldn't have picked a more perfect guy. I'm not saying we're soulmates or anything, but it was definitely one of the best dates I've been on. He, um, he called me this morning to see if I'm free Friday, so we're going on a second date."

"That's good," Quinn said, smiling. "I'm happy for you."

"Yeah, it's, uh, it's been a long time since I found a guy worth my time," Jack said, smiling back. "Do me a favor and thank Rachel for me, will you? You know, when you two are having dinner tonight. Since you two are friends and everything now."

Quinn narrowed her eyes. "How often are you going to mention that?"

"I'm only kidding," Jack said, shaking his head, and smiling. "I'm glad you two are getting along now."

"Why is that?" Quinn asked. "Did you get tired of hearing me complain about her?"

"No," Jack replied. "That was actually kind of amusing. And I don't know." Jack shrugged. "I just think you'll be good for each other. It sounds like you could both use a friend. You know, among other things."

Quinn cocked her eyebrow. "Among what other things?"

"Well, you're still going to to need a place to stay and she has an extra room," Jack replied.

"I can't stay there forever," Quinn said, shaking her head. "Six months is one thing, but I can't live there forever without paying rent, and I definitely wouldn't be able to afford it even if she did let me pay to stay there. My father has made it very clear that he already thinks he's giving me too much, and a part time job wouldn't even begin to cover it."

"So when are you going to start looking for a new place," Jack asked.

"Soon," Quinn replied.

Jack's eyebrow rose for a moment and then a smile spread across his face, but he didn't say anything. Instead of asking what his face was about, though, Quinn said, "I have to go. I'll see you Wednesday."

"Have fun tonight," Jack replied. "Don't forget to tell Rachel I said thanks."

Quinn nodded and said, "I'll tell her."

"Alright," Jack said, giving her a smile. "I'll see ya."

Jack nudged her with his elbow and then walked down the hallway. As soon as he opened the door to the stairwell, Quinn pulled out her phone to see that she had a missed call from Brittany. Rather than returning the call, she put her phone back in her bag and began following in Jack's footsteps. Brittany always somehow brought up Rachel, and Quinn had already had enough questions about her friendship with Rachel for one day.

* * *

"Have you been studying this whole time?" Rachel asked, turning off the television.

"Yeah," Quinn said as she opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water.

"So, you're due for a break then, right?" Rachel asked, leaning against the island, and giving Quinn an expectant look. "Maybe long enough to watch another episode of that show we started last night?"

"Do you mean Gilmore Girls?" Quinn asked. "And, no. I have an exam in the morning that I'm studying for."

"Well, you should at least take a small break, even if it's not long enough to watch an episode of television," Rachel said, sitting down on one of the stools.

"Maybe," Quinn replied.

"It'll help you focus better once you get back to studying," Rachel said, putting her chin in her hands. "Because there is such a thing as studying too much, and when you don't take the proper breaks, you don't absorb information as well. So, even if you spend longer studying, you probably won't be as well prepared as if you had taken adequate breaks."

"Is there a reason for this speech on the benefits of proper breaks while studying?" Quinn asked, leaning her elbows against the island.

Rachel shrugged. "I just want you to do the best you can. Not that you won't; you're the smartest person I've ever met and I'm sure you'll ace your exam."

"Really?" Quinn asked, her eyebrow rising.

"Of course," Rachel replied.

"Uh huh," Quinn said.

She didn't believe Rachel—the girl was a terrible liar—but she obviously wasn't going to say. It was probably just because Rachel wanted to talk her into watching an episode under the guise of concern for her education. Quinn wasn't falling for it, though; she had her studying all planned out for the evening and it didn't include taking an hour break to watch Gilmore Girls.

"What?" Quinn asked when a smile spread across Rachel's face.

"Nothing," Rachel said with a shrug, though once again, Quinn knew she was lying.

"That look isn't nothing," Quinn replied.

"I was—just thinking how cute you look in your glasses," Rachel said, hesitating for a moment or two. "I don't think I've ever really seen you in them. Have you always worn them?"

Quinn let out a slightly embarrassed laugh. "I wore glasses when I was younger, but before I started high school, I asked my parents to get me contacts. They were more than happy to do it, of course. Anything to fix my imperfections. When I study a lot, I prefer my glasses, though. Unfortunately, they make me look like a complete dork."

"You look far from dorky in them," Rachel said, shaking her head. "I think they suit you." Rachel ducked her head, looking down at her hands. "I was talking to Logan today and he was telling me he and Jack have another date this weekend."

"Yeah, Jack mentioned that yesterday," Quinn replied. "He actually wanted me to thank you; I was supposed to do it yesterday, but I forgot."

Rachel smiled and looked up at her. "Logan really seems to like him."

"I think the feeling is mutual," Quinn replied.

"Good," Rachel said, her smile growing. "Jack seems like a nice guy and I know Logan is very sweet. I know how terrible it is to feel lonely, and if I can help anyone find love or companionship in any way, I consider it a win. Now maybe we can work on you."

"I'm not looking for a relationship right now," Quinn said, holding her hand up before Rachel could say anything else.

Rachel tilted her head. "Just because you're not looking, it doesn't mean it can't find you."

"You may want to stop before you start sounding like my mother," Quinn replied.

"If you were to be looking for a relationship, what type of person would you be looking for?" Rachel asked.

"You're not setting me up with anyone," Quinn firmly said.

"I'm simply asking out of curiosity," Rachel replied. "What's your type?"

Quinn sighed and then shrugged. "I don't really have one."

"Really?" Rachel asked. "Because I've always imagined you with the tall, dark, and handsome type."

"Well, in high school I dated whoever was popular," Quinn replied.

"And now?" Rachel asked.

"And now—now, I don't really know," Quinn said, shrugging.

"Don't you ever miss being in a relationship?" Rachel wondered.

"Considering most of my relationships were for show, not really," Quinn replied. "I'm over pretending to be something I'm not, though, so now the problem is finding someone who likes me, who I also like back."

"I wouldn't think that would be too difficult," Rachel commented.

"Well, believe it," Quinn replied, picking up her bottle of water. "I'm going to get back to studying."

"Okay," Rachel said, watching Quinn walk around the island. "But don't forget to take proper breaks."

"I won't," Quinn replied, smiling in amusement.

* * *

"Dinner's ready," Rachel said, opening Quinn's door, and popping her head in.

Quinn threw her pencil down on her bed and shut her book, tossing it to the side. "Now will you tell me what you fixed?"

"You'll just have to come see," Rachel said, giving her a coy smile.

Quinn rolled her eyes as she stood up, but she also had a slight smile on her face. She didn't know why Rachel had been so secretive about what she was fixing, but she'd refused to even give her a hint. Quinn didn't know if it was because Rachel knew she was going to hate it or if it was for some other reason, but she was a little apprehensive about seeing what she'd fixed. Thankfully, it smelled fairly good, so maybe it would also taste okay.

When Quinn walked out of her room, Rachel was already standing by the kitchen table, her hand on her usual chair, and a smile on her face. They usually just ate at the kitchen island, so Quinn was a little surprised to see the table set, but it wasn't exactly unheard of. Rachel liked to sit at it every now then because she said it made her feel a little more 'civilized'.

Quinn furrowed her brows as she looked down at the table. "Rachel, what did you fix?"

I thought that was fairly obvious," Rachel said, smiling. "It's meatloaf, mashed potatoes, green beans, and rolls. You once mentioned that it was your favorite growing up, right?"

"Yeah, but I didn't think you would remember that," Quinn said, looking around the table.

"Well, I did remember, so I thought I would surprise you," Rachel said. "I know it's probably not going to be the same since it's a meatless meatloaf, but I still hope you'll enjoy it."

"Truthfully, I'm kind of getting used to your vegan meals," Quinn replied, pulling out one of the chairs, and sitting down. "I'm not exactly going to stop eating a hamburger every now and then, but it's not so bad."

"Well, I wish you would reconsider that occasional hamburger, but that's obviously your decision," Rachel said, taking Quinn's lead, and sitting down. "I can only show you that vegan meals can be just as delicious as their meat-filled counterparts."

"Have you always been vegan?" Quinn wondered.

"No," Rachel said, picking up the bowl of mashed potatoes as Quinn pulled the meatloaf toward her. "When I was eleven I watched a documentary on the meat industry. I was so disturbed by what I saw that I decided then and there that I was never eating animals or animal byproducts ever again. And not just because of the inhumane treatment of the animals, but because of the things they think is fit for human consumption."

"Please don't tell me," Quinn quickly replied.

"I wasn't going to," Rachel replied, giving her a smile. "I made this dinner for you and I would rather not spoil your appetite."

Quinn was silent for a moment as she watched Rachel put some of the green beans on her plate, but then she asked, "Why?"

"Why what?" Rachel asked, looking up at her.

"Why did you make this for me?" Quinn asked.

"Oh, well, it was something I hadn't made, and you know how much I enjoy making new dishes," Rachel replied. "Plus, you've been studying a lot this week, and I thought it would be nice."

"You didn't have to do it, though," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"I know," Rachel shrugged, "but I wanted to. I enjoy cooking—I find it very relaxing—and I like it even more when I have someone to cook for."

"So, do you always cook for you roommates, then?" Quinn wondered.

"Not exactly," Rachel said, offering Quinn the bowl of green beans before she could even ask for them. "I tried, but most of them refused to try my vegan dishes and others wouldn't want to come home long enough to eat. Or out of their room." Rachel sighed. "As I've mentioned, my past roommates haven't been very social with me. Even the prospect of a home cooked meal couldn't entice them to come around."

"Why did you let them stay?" Quinn asked, putting some of the green beans on her plate. "Why didn't you just make them move?"

"Because we signed a contract," Rachel replied. "Yes, I could have asked them to leave, but it wasn't in the contract that they had to become my friend." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I can usually tell fairly quickly if a person is going to be open to being friends, but if they're not, there's really nothing I can do about it."

Quinn's eyebrow rose. "So then why—"

"So then why did I keep trying to befriend you when you obviously didn't like me very much?" Rachel interrupted with a slight smile. "Because I had a feeling things would be different with you."

"You did?" Quinn asked.

Rachel's smile grew. "I did. And I was right, wasn't I?"

"Yeah," Quinn softly replied. "I guess you were."

* * *

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" Rachel asked as she sat down next to Quinn on the couch.

"I don't know," Quinn said, hitting the play button.

"Well, I have two tickets to Jersey Boys, and I was wondering if you would like to go," Rachel said, offering Quinn some popcorn. "A girl from my class was supposed to go with me, but she got the flu, so she's obviously not up for going, which means I have an extra ticket. I know musicals aren't really your thing, but I would hate for the ticket to go to waste. It's actually an assignment for one of my classes; we're supposed to critique a current Broadway show, specifically the performances."

Your friend has the flu?" Quinn asked, looking over at Rachel.

"She's more of an acquaintance, but yes," Rachel replied. "Unfortunately, it's been going around the school for the past week. Thankfully, I've been lucky enough not to catch it."

Quinn didn't know if she believed Rachel; she couldn't help thinking it sounded like a ploy to get her to go to the show with her. She hadn't exactly known Rachel to lie, though, so she figured she should give her the benefit of the doubt and assume Rachel was telling the truth.

"What's it about?" Quinn asked.

"Jersey Boys?" Rachel asked. "It's about Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. They sang—"

"Walk Like A Man, Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Big Girls Don't Cry" Quinn stated. "Yeah, I know who they are. My dad was always a fan of that kind of music."

"And you?" Rachel asked.

Quinn shrugged and said, "It grew on me."

"Well, if you like their songs, you'll probably enjoy the musical," Rachel replied. "It has all their biggest hits. What do you say? Will you go with me?"

Quinn glanced over at Rachel; she was giving her a hopeful look, and while Quinn could think of several other ways she would rather spend her Saturday evening, she said, "Yeah. I'll go with you."

Rachel clapped and leaned over, giving Quinn a quick hug. "I'm so happy you said yes. Musicals are much more fun when you have someone there to enjoy it with you. And I promise you'll love it. My fathers took me to see it right after it opened and it was so much fun. I was afraid my teacher was going to assign me something I didn't like and I would have to sit through it again, so I was pleasantly surprised when she assigned something I enjoyed."

"You mean there are musicals you didn't like?" Quinn asked with a slight smirk.

"A few," Rachel replied. "I wouldn't exactly say that I _hate_ any of the current Broadway shows, but there are certainly ones I like less than others."

Quinn hummed and tossed the remote on the cushion next to her. "It may come as a shock to you, but I've never actually been to a Broadway show."

"You haven't?!" Rachel asked, gasping. "How have you lived in New York City for two and half years without having gone to a Broadway musical?"

"As you pointed out, musicals aren't really my thing," Quinn replied.

"I know that, but I think it should be a requirement to see at least one Broadway show if you're going to live here," Rachel said, shaking her head. "Seeing a musical live is an experience that I really can't describe. As much as I enjoy watching Funny Girl or West Side Story, there's something about being in that theater that's special. It's an experience like no other."

"I guess it's a good thing your acquaintance got the flu then," Quinn remarked.

"Her loss is certainly your gain," Rachel said, smiling. "Of course, if I'd known you'd never been to a show and I had been able to choose, I probably would have chosen Wicked. Thankfully, Jersey Boys is an acceptable alternative."

Rachel fell silent and after a few minutes of staring at the television, Quinn looked over at her. The brunette had a slight smile on her face and looked completely engrossed in the movie, not seeming to notice that Quinn was staring at her. After a few moments, though, Quinn looked away with a light sigh. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rachel glance at her, but instead of saying anything, they sat there in silence for the rest of the movie.

* * *

Rachel was clapping louder and smiling wider than anyone else in the theater when the lights came up. The brunette was often excited about things, but Quinn didn't think she'd ever seen her quite so happy. And it was only intermission, so she could only imagine what she was going to be like by the end of the musical.

"What do you think?" Rachel asked, immediately turning to Quinn.

"It's good," Quinn said, shrugging her shoulder.

"Just good?" Rachel asked, deflating a little.

"Well, I don't really have anything to compare to, do I?" Quinn replied.

"Then I guess I'll just have to get you to another musical, won't I?" Rachel said, smiling.

"I like it," Quinn admitted after a few moments. "In the beginning, I was wondering what you got me into, but—I like it."

"Good," Rachel said, nudging her shoulder against Quinn's before looking over her shoulder. "I was so thankful when that woman behind us stopped singing along with every song. I was about to turn around and ask her to be quiet when she finally stopped." Rachel shook her head. "I'm all for singing along to songs, but not when you're in a theater. It's just rude to think everyone would rather hear you than the actual performers."

Quinn gave a slight smirk; the woman hadn't just stopped singing on her own. Given Rachel's random huffs, she knew the brunette was just as annoyed with it as she was, so Quinn had turned around and given the old woman her best glare, a look that was foolproof in high school for getting her what she wanted, and it seemed like nothing had changed. The woman had immediately quit, and Quinn had turned back around without Rachel ever seeing her.

"I really should have taken a few notes for class, but I was so engrossed in what was happening on stage that I didn't think to," Rachel said, looking down at her the notebook in her lap that didn't have anything written on it.

"I'm sure you'll remember it," Quinn replied.

"Hopefully," Rachel said, capping her pen that she'd been holding the whole time. "Truthfully, I don't see a point to this assignment. Anyone who wants to be in musical theater has probably already seen every one of the current Broadway shows. And I don't see how critiquing another actor's performance is really going to help us as performers."

"Sometimes I think teacher's just give homework because they can," Quinn remarked.

"It wouldn't surprise me," Rachel replied. "During my first year here, I had a dance teacher who actually told us that. I think she lived to torture her students, though, and I seemed to be her favorite target. She seemed to think if she could put me down enough that I would eventually quit. She obviously didn't know me very well; if anything, it made me work harder. I've had people bully me all my life, and just like with the rest of them, I wasn't going to let her win.

"So what did you do?" Quinn asked.

"I worked harder than I've ever worked for any class," Rachel said, looking over at her. "I was determined to prove to her that I wasn't a terrible dancer and that I certainly wasn't only destined to play one of the munchkins in a remake of the Wizard of Oz."

"She actually said that?" Quinn asked, slightly amused.

"In front of the entire class," Rachel confirmed. "She also told me that I have no sex appeal and I would never get anywhere in the industry."

Quinn's eyebrow rose. Maybe Rachel wasn't conventionally attractive in the Hollywood actress type of way, but for her teacher to say that was just harsh and not even true. Not that Quinn was going to say it, but when Rachel wasn't wearing animal sweaters or purple overalls, she was definitely attractive. And Quinn had seen what Rachel sometimes wore when she was dancing; there was no way her teacher could say she had no sex appeal.

"Thankfully, I only had to take one of her classes," Rachel added. "I really didn't want to have to endure another semester of her 'tough love' approach. Personally, I just think it's her way getting by with abusing her students."

"I had one of those professors," Quinn replied. "At least he just tried to make us feel stupid."

"I can't imagine that worked very well," Rachel said, giving Quinn a smile. "You're far too smart to ever feel stupid." Rachel tucked her hair behind her ear. "I think I'm going to go to the restroom before intermission is over. Would you like me to get you anything to drink while I'm up? I think I'm going to buy myself a water."

Quinn shook her head. "I'm fine."

Rachel nodded. "I'll be right back."

Rachel stood and passed in front of Quinn since there were less people seated on her side, but she stopped when Quinn called out, "Hey."

"Yes?" Rachel asked, turning around to look at Quinn.

"Why don't I go get the drinks," Quinn said, standing.

"Okay," Rachel replied. "I'll meet you back here?"

"Yeah," Quinn said, her hand brushing Rachel's as she stopped beside her. "Hopefully it won't take too long."

"Hopefully not," Rachel softly replied, giving Quinn another smile.


	16. Thank You

**Chapter 16 – Thank You**

"I have a proposition for you," Rachel said, suddenly appearing behind Quinn.

"Oh?" Quinn asked, her eyebrow rising as she looked over her shoulder.

"What do you think of inviting Brittany, Santana, and Jack over for a dinner party?" Rachel asked.

"A dinner party?" Quinn asked as she turned around to look at Rachel.

"Yes," Rachel said with a nod. "I've always wanted to host one here, but it's never quite worked out. You wouldn't have to do anything; I will do all the cooking and the decorating." Rachel shrugged. "I just thought it may be nice. Finals are quickly approaching and I thought it could be a nice, fun evening before everyone starts getting stressed."

Quinn wasn't really a dinner party type of person—she'd sat through more than enough while living under her parents' roof—but it was something Rachel was obviously excited about. She couldn't really imagine Santana wanting to come, but there was no question that Brittany would love it, which meant her girlfriend would be there, and she knew Jack was always up for free food.

"If there's anyone else you would like to invite, you would be more than welcome," Rachel added. "And the same goes for Jack if he would like to invite Logan. I could even extend the invitation if he would prefer. What do you think?"

"Do you really want to have to spend an evening with Santana?" Quinn asked.

"I've had to spend evenings with worse people," Rachel replied, giving her a smile. "I will just look at it as preparation for when I have to spend my evenings with industry people who I may or may not like. And while she may not be the nicest individual I've ever met, I actually don't mind her. Most of the time, anyway; I don't really appreciate it when she does her best to embarrass me."

"If you're sure," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"So, is that a yes?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "I'll let them know."

Rachel smiled widely. "I was thinking the dinner could take place on Friday. You don't think that's too short of notice, do you? Will your friends already have plans?"

"If they do, Brittany will talk Santana into changing them," Quinn said with a shrug.

Quinn knew it wasn't going to make Santana happy, but she really didn't care; she'd spent many nights doing things she didn't want to do. She just hoped Santana didn't complain the whole time and make Rachel feel bad. Especially when it came to the food; Santana wasn't really one to be open to new things, and she could already imagine the complaints about having to eat vegan food.

"I know I said you wouldn't have to do anything and you won't, but would you be willing to help me with one small thing?" Rachel asked.

"What?" Quinn asked.

"Would you help me with the menu?" Rachel asked. "You know your friends' tastes a lot better than I do, so I was hoping you would be willing to give some input. And if you could let me know if anyone is allergic to anything, that would also be very helpful. The last thing I would want would be to send someone to the hospital."

"Yeah, I can do that," Quinn replied.

"Wonderful!" Rachel said, pulling out a pad of paper and pencil from behind her back. "Let's talk about allergies first."

"Brittany isn't allergic to anything and Santana says she's allergic to olives but I think she just doesn't like them," Quinn said, walking forward, and leaning her elbows again the island. "I'll have to ask Jack; he hasn't ever mentioned anything, though."

Rachel nodded and asked, "What is everyone's opinion on Mexican food? I was thinking it would be something simple that people usually like. Or maybe I should go with something a little more home style like a pot roast. Of course, now that it's warming up a little, a pot roast may be a little out of season. What do you think?"

"I think Mexican would be fine," Quinn replied.

"It's not _too_ simple?" Rachel asked.

"I think everyone will love it," Quinn said.

"Well, now that that's settled, I'll begin looking for the perfect menu," Rachel replied, picking up her notebook with a smile. "Please be sure to ask your friends as soon as possible so I'll know how to many expect."

Quinn nodded. "I'm having lunch with Brittany tomorrow, so I'll let her know then."

"Great!" Rachel replied. "Just let me know what Jack says about Logan; we have class together tomorrow, so if he wants me to be the one to invite him, I can do it then."

"I'll text him in a bit," Quinn said with a nod.

Rachel gave her a smile and said, "Thank you. I certainly appreciate you doing this."

"You're the one who's going to have to cook," Quinn replied, shrugging.

"I know, but—thank you," Rachel said, giving her another smile before turning and walking toward the living room.

* * *

"What do you think about a citrus or mango salsa rather than a traditional salsa?" Rachel asked, walking into Quinn's room not bothering to knock since the door was open. "And I was also thinking about plantain chips instead of tortilla chips, but I don't know how well they will go with the nontraditional salsa. I don't know; maybe I should stick with traditional tortilla chips. What do you think, Quinn? You know your friends better than I do."

"I think they're getting a free dinner and they shouldn't complain," Quinn remarked.

"Be that as it may, I would like them to enjoy it as much as possible," Rachel replied. "It's very rare that I get to entertain and I want it to go perfectly."

"It'll never go perfectly with Santana here," Quinn said, shaking her head as she looked back down at her book.

"Maybe not, but I would like for it to go the best that it can," Rachel replied. "May I sit?"

"It's your apartment," Quinn said, shrugging.

"I like to think of it as _our_ apartment," Rachel replied.

"Yes, you may sit," Quinn said when Rachel remained standing.

Rachel sat down with a smile and said, "Thank you. Now, as I was saying, do you think it would be better to go with a more traditional meal or something a little different? I mean, I want it to special; I don't want to be something you can buy at any Mexican restaurant in the city. Your friends deserve better than that."

"My friends should just be thankful you're doing this," Quinn countered.

"Are you having second thoughts about the dinner party?" Rachel asked, a slight frown appearing on her face.

"What?" Quinn asked, looking up.

"You don't seem very excited," Rachel said. "Am I talking about it too much? Because if I am, you can tell me."

"I just don't think you should get too stressed over it," Quinn replied. "That's all."

"Well, I appreciate the concern, but if you haven't noticed, I'm naturally a little high strung," Rachel said, smiling.

"I'm just saying you should fix whatever you want," Quinn stated. "I've seen Jack eat and he will pretty much eat anything, Brittany is more or less the same way, and Santana will complain even if she really likes it."

"What about you?" Rachel asked. "You must have a preference."

"It doesn't—"

"And don't say it doesn't matter," Rachel interrupted, pointing at her with a slight scowl on her face.

"I'm not a huge fan of mango," Quinn said, shrugging.

"Okay, the mango salsa is out," Rachel replied, crossing it off her list. "Okay, can we talk about the main dish? Do you think more people would prefer tacos, enchiladas, or quesadillas? Or do you think I should make all three and give everyone a choice? It would be a little more work, but then everyone would have options."

Quinn shook her head as the brunette looked down at the notepad she'd been carrying around all day. She didn't know why Rachel was so worried about everything. It's not like anyone important was coming over; it was just Quinn's friends. She didn't really care that Rachel was asking for her opinion even though she told her she wouldn't have to do anything, but she also didn't want Rachel to be so stressed about it. It was just a dinner party, after all; it wasn't as if anything bad was going to happen if things didn't go perfectly.

"And what do you think about drinks?" Rachel asked. "Do you think I should provide alcoholic as well as nonalcoholic drinks? Because if you think I should have both, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to purchase it since being underage prohibits me from doing it."

"I don't know," Quinn replied. "Drunk Santana can be even more obnoxious than regular Santana. On the other hand, with enough alcohol, you may not care."

"Does that mean you would be willing to pick some up by Friday?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn answered.

"So, that takes care of that," Rachel said, putting a check mark on the paper. "I'm doing all the shopping on Thursday, and I already have a variety of sodas and juices on my shopping list. Now, I need to settle on a menu so I can make the rest of my list."

"Two entrees," Quinn said, leaning forward, and grabbing Rachel's notebook.

"What?" Rachel asked with a frown.

"You don't need enchiladas, tacos, _and_ quesadillas," Quinn clarified. "Pick two. Or one."

"You're right," Rachel replied after a few moments. "Okay, how do tacos and quesadillas sound?"

"It sounds good," Quinn said with a slight shrug.

"Great," Rachel replied, smiling widely as she stood up from the bed. "I'll let you get back to your book while I do some research on desserts."

"Hey," Quinn said when Rachel turned to walk about of the room.

"Yes?" Rachel asked, turning around.

"Your notebook," Quinn said, holding it up.

"Oh, yes, thank you," Rachel said, ducking her head, and giving Quinn a shy smile as she took the notebook from her.

* * *

"Not again," Jack said with a groan. "I hate Goblin Market. There's no way I'm reading that thing again. I've read it, like, seven times."

"Well, you should have it memorized, then," Quinn pointed out.

"Not memorized enough," Jack said, throwing the strap of his messenger bag over his shoulder. "And with my luck there'll be a pop quiz on Monday. Why does ever professor make us read that thing?"

"To torture you," Quinn deadpanned.

"Well, they need to stop," Jack said, shaking his head.

"Good luck getting them to," Quinn replied.

"I know, right?" Jack said with a laugh. "I don't know why everyone is so obsessed with that poem. I mean, it's good, but you can only read something so many times before you just wanna chuck it out the window."

"I'm not disagreeing," Quinn said as she put her things in her bag.

She'd had this same conversation with him on more than one occasion; Jack always complained every time they got the poem as a reading assignment, which was something that did seem to happen way too often. Fortunately for Quinn, she wasn't going to read it again; unlike Jack, she'd memorized it several assignments ago.

"Are you still coming on Friday?" Quinn asked when they walked into the hallway.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" Jack asked back.

Quinn shrugged. "Because Rachel's the one throwing the party and you two aren't exactly friends."

"Yeah, but free food, a night in an awesome apartment, and I get to spend some time with my potential boyfriend?" Jack said, looking at her like she was crazy. "Yeah, I'm definitely going to be there. Why are you asking?"

"Because Rachel's being all crazy about it," Quinn replied. "She keeps coming to me with sample menus and asking what I think."

Jack laughed. "She sounds excited."

"Oh, you have no idea," Quinn replied.

"Is she driving you completely nuts?" Jack asked.

Quinn shrugged; it was annoying, but she wouldn't say Rachel was driving her nuts, or at least not like she used to. It was actually hard to be mad about it when Rachel was so excited. Quinn didn't know if she'd ever seen Rachel that excited about anything. She didn't know if it was because of Rachel's lack of friends or if it was because of something else, but she seemed even happier about the dinner party than she had about the showcase at NYADA.

"Did she ever say what she's fixing?" Jack asked.

"She still hasn't decided," Quinn replied. "All I know is she's fixing Mexican food."

"I guess you can't really go wrong with Mexican," Jack said with a shrug.

"I hope you still think that after you've eaten it," Quinn remarked.

"Why?" Jack asked. "Is she a bad cook?"

"No, she's actually pretty good," Quinn replied.

"Oh, because you said it's going to be vegan?" Jack said, stopping, and looking at her.

"Yeah," Quinn answered.

"Even if I don't like it, it's not like I'm going to say anything," Jack said. "That'd just be rude."

"Which is why I'm worried about what Santana's going to say," Quinn replied. "She doesn't care to be rude and I don't want her to ruin the night." Quinn sighed and then noticed a slight smirk on Jack's face. "What?"

"It's just funny," Jack said with a light laugh as he began walking again. "You worrying about Rachel's feelings being hurt when you couldn't stand her a month ago."

"That's not true," Quinn argued.

"Fine, two months," Jack said. "Whatever. The point is you hated her and now you two are best friends. It's just funny how those things happen."

Quinn wanted to point out that Rachel wasn't her best friend, but she didn't bother. She got what Jack was trying to say, and it _was_ funny how things worked out sometimes. She never thought she would get along with Rachel, let alone become friends with her. But here she was worrying about Rachel's feelings and trying to make sure Jack was still coming to the party because she knew it would crush Rachel if everyone cancelled.

"How long until you and Brittany stop bringing that up?" Quinn asked.

"At least a few months," Jack replied, laughing. "C'mon, you can't say it's not funny. You were ready to kill Rachel a couple months ago and now you're helping her with a dinner party. You totally like her."

Quinn narrowed her eyes at him and said, "I'm not—"

"I didn't mean like that," Jack interjected. "Although, now that we're talking about it—"

"We're _not_ talking about it," Quinn interrupted.

"Okay, okay," Jack replied, smiling at her before looking a little more serious. "Look, I'm glad you two are friends. And we're friends, which means I get to give you a hard time about it."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "You better get it out of your system by Friday."

"I make no promises," Jack said, grinning at her as he stopped at the bottom of the stairs. "

"I'll see you Friday," Quinn said, rolling her eyes again to show her annoyance.

Jack laughed. "Alright. I'll see you."

* * *

"What is this?" Santana asked, looking down at the bowl.

"Salsa," Rachel replied as she walked past.

"This isn't salsa," Santana argued.

"That one is a citrus salsa," Rachel replied. "There is a more traditional salsa sitting on the island that I was just about to bring it over."

"I can get it!" Brittany said.

"You're my guest," Rachel replied, reaching out, and lightly touching Brittany's arm. "All you have to do is relax and enjoy your evening."

"This is really good," Jack said through a mouthful of chips and salsa, though he had the decency to cover it with his hand. "What are those chips things?"

"Fried plantain chips," Rachel replied, smiling.

Jack nodded. "It's really good with the orange and stuff in the salsa."

"I'm glad you like it," Rachel said, clearly pleased.

"Do you really like it?" Quinn whispered when Rachel began walking into the kitchen.

"Yeah, it's great," Jack said, grabbing his drink from the coffee table.

So far everything had been going okay, but they had only been there for twenty minutes. Logan had called to say he was running late, which wasn't really a problem since dinner wasn't going to be for another hour. Rachel had made plenty of appetizers to tide them over, though, hopefully no one—namely Santana—would start complaining.

"This is really awesome," Brittany said as she joined Quinn and Jack in the living room.

"Thank you, Brittany," Rachel replied, carrying some bowl from the island to the dining room table, where all the food was set up. "And here is your regular salsa, Santana. I hope you like it."

"Ooh, I want some of that, too." Jack said, jumping up.

Quinn's eyebrow rose and she couldn't help laughing; she'd been worried that Jack wouldn't like the food, but that worrying seemed to be for nothing. Santana, on the other hand, was looking at the food rather skeptically. Not that it was a surprise; Santana didn't like to admit that she was wrong about anything, and she'd obviously made up her mind from the beginning that the dinner party was going to be terrible.

"This is fun," Brittany said, looking over at Quinn. "Why've we never done this before?"

"Because none of us can cook," Quinn replied.

"What are you two talking about over here," Rachel asked, walking up to them, and sitting on the arm of the couch.

"Why we've never done this before," Brittany answered.

"Oh, well, if you all enjoy the evening, we could certainly do it again," Rachel said, smiling. "We could even take turns hosting the event if people were agreeable to it."

Quinn shook her head as she imagined everyone trying to spend the evening in Brittany and Santana's apartment. It had been cramped with three people in it; she hated to imagine what it would be like to have even more people in it. And she knew Jack's place, which he shared with three other people, wasn't very big either.

"I doubt that will happen," Quinn said after a moment. "Your apartment is the only one big enough."

"_Our_ apartment," Rachel corrected. "And I would be more than happy for us to host it here. We could even make it a monthly event."

"Sounds good to me," Jack said, walking back into the living room with a fuller plate. "I get really sick of takeout."

Quinn watched as Rachel looked over her shoulder and then turned around with a slight frown. It was subtle and gone after only a moment, but Quinn knew Rachel was concerned about Santana, who was still looking dubiously at the food.

"I'll be right back," Quinn said, standing up from the couch.

She walked over to the table, where Santana was still standing. Without saying anything, Quinn grabbed a plate and threw some food onto it before shoving it into Santana's hands.

"Eat," Quinn demanded in a low voice.

Santana's eyebrow rose. "Why do you care?"

"Because Rachel did all of this and she's going to be disappointed if you complain all night," Quinn replied. "Can't you just be nice for once? I know it's difficult for you, but you don't have to make Rachel feel like crap just because you have to be a bitch. She doesn't deserve that."

Santana smirked. "And we wouldn't want to disappoint your girlfriend, would we?"

"She's not my girlfriend," Quinn replied, rolling her eyes.

"You could've fooled me," Santana said, shrugging before she walked past Quinn and into the living room with everyone else.

* * *

"I should really get going," Jack said.

"Yeah, me too," Logan replied, though unlike Jack who made no effort to get up, Logan actually stood from the couch. "I can't believe it's after midnight."

Jack sighed. "I guess that means I really should get up."

"We're going, too," Santana said.

"Can't we stay a while longer?" Brittany asked.

"You wanted to go to the park in the morning, remember?" Santana said.

"She's right," Brittany said, looking over at Rachel.

"It's fine," Rachel replied, giving the blonde a smile. "It is getting late." Rachel cleared her throat as she stood. "Before anyone leaves, though, I would like to express my thanks for everyone coming tonight." She looked around with a smile. "I've always wanted to be able to throw a dinner party for friends, and while I know we're not exactly friends, it still means a lot that you came. More so, really. And I would especially like to thank Quinn, who had to put up with my obsessive planning all week."

"Hey, thanks for having us," Jack said. "It was really cool of you to invite us all."

"Yeah, it was awesome," Brittany added, jumping up and wrapping her arms around Rachel, hugging her.

Quinn noticed that Santana didn't thank Rachel, but she'd also refrained from complaining most of the night. She didn't know if was because of what she had said to her or if Brittany had also said something, but Santana had been relatively civil. And considering how Santana had been, especially as of late, Quinn felt like it was a small miracle.

"Thanks for tonight; I appreciate you inviting me," Logan said, giving Rachel a smile. "I'll see you in class on Monday."

"Ditto," Jack said, tapping Quinn on the shoulder.

"Goodnight," Rachel replied, smiling at Logan and then Jack. "Please be safe on your way home."

"Don't worry," Logan said, looking over at Jack. "I'll make sure he gets home safely."

"Oh yeah?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Logan replied.

Rachel walked the two over to the door, leaving Quinn, Brittany, and Santana in the living room. The latter looked like she couldn't wait to be going too, but Brittany remained where she was, which meant Santana didn't move either.

"Do you think Rachel will do this again?" Brittany asked.

"Probably," Quinn answered, figuring Rachel would do it again even if no one wanted her to, but since the night had been a success, she couldn't imagine anything stopping her.

"This was really fun," Brittany said before looking at Santana. "Wasn't it fun?"

Santana gave a noncommittal shrug.

"I know you had fun," Brittany said, nudging her shoulder into Santana's, and staring at the side of her face. "I know you liked the quesadillas; I saw you grab another one when you went to get a drink. And I saw you smile when you ate that cake."

"Alright, fine," Santana eventually replied with a light laugh. "It wasn't terrible, okay?"

"What wasn't terrible?" Rachel asked.

"The food and everything," Brittany replied.

"Thank you, Santana," Rachel said, smiling at the other woman. "From you, I'm taking that as a compliment."

"We're going," Santana said, grabbing Brittany's hand.

"Please let us know that you made it home safely," Rachel called after them as Santana pulled Brittany toward the door.

"We will," Brittany said over her shoulder with a smile.

"One of these days, I'm going to win her over," Rachel confidently said the moment the front door was closed behind Brittany and Santana.

"Why?" Quinn asked, plopping down on the couch with a huff.

"Because she's your friend," Rachel replied. "And your best friend's girlfriend." Rachel sat down next to Quinn and looked over at her. "I know you two aren't very close right now, but—"

"But what?" Quinn asked when Rachel trailed off.

"I just think that there's a reason for her behavior, and once you two finally talk about it, maybe you can become friends again," Rachel said.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Don't count on it."

"A few months ago, you probably would have said the same thing about us becoming friends, but look at us now." Rachel smiled at her.

"Yeah, but Santana—"

"Has been your friend for a long time, and will be for many years," Rachel stated. "She misses being your friend; she just doesn't know how to say it."

"What makes you think that?" Quinn asked.

"Because how could she not miss being your friend?" Rachel replied.

Quinn gave a disbelieving laugh and shook her head. "I'm going to go to bed. I'll help you clean up in the morning, okay?"

"Okay," Rachel said, standing up, and offering her hand to Quinn.

Quinn looked at her hand for a moment, and then put her hand in Rachel's and let the brunette pull her up. When Rachel released her hand, she ducked her head, but then looked up at her and said, "Thank you for letting me do this tonight, Quinn."

"I didn't do anything," Quinn replied, shaking her head.

"You did more than you know." Rachel smiled and turned but stopped and looked over her shoulder to say, "Goodnight, Quinn."

"Night," Quinn replied before Rachel turned and walked to her bedroom.


	17. Warning

**Chapter 17 – Warning**

"Are you alright?" Rachel asked, eyeing Quinn as she sat down on the couch

"I'm fine," Quinn automatically replied.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked. "Because you look a little—I don't know how to describe it."

"I'm sure," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded and then gave her a smile. "So, are you excited about your parents' impending arrival?"

Quinn didn't answer; instead, she let her face do the talking when she gave Rachel a look like she was crazy. Her parents were going to be there in three days and she wanted nothing more than for her mother to call and say they'd changed their plans. She could only deal with her parents in small doses, and the thought of them being there for a week was daunting. She was just thankful they were going to be staying in a hotel, so she wouldn't have to deal with them twenty-four hours a day.

"Okay, you're right," Rachel replied after a few moments. "That was a stupid question."

"Yes, it was," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"For what it's worth, I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think," Rachel said, nudging her shoulder in Quinn's.

"You're right," Quinn replied. "I'm sure it'll be even worse."

She knew her parents well enough to know that they would be critical of everything. They would hate Rachel just like they hated Brittany and Santana; her father would mention her 'useless' major at least three times, asking why she couldn't have gone into something like business; her mother would get in several digs about how she didn't have a boyfriend; and she would inevitably hear about how perfect her sister's life was, and there would be a thinly veiled comment about how Quinn could maybe have that one day too. The only thing she knew they wouldn't have a problem with would be the apartment.

"Maybe if you try to be optimistic about it, it won't be as bad," Rachel suggested.

"Maybe that works for you, but it doesn't work for me," Quinn replied.

She's learned long ago that there was no point in being optimistic when it came to her parents. They were never going to change. They were always going to be critical no matter what she did. They were never going to agree with the choices she made or be proud of her. She'd come to the realization far too late, doing everything she could during high school in hopes that she would get some scrap of approval, but she knew it now. And that's why she hadn't changed her major when her father deemed it a pointless subject and why she no longer dated people solely based on what her parents would think.

"Maybe not, but it couldn't hurt," Rachel said, giving her a small smile. "I've always thought that keeping a positive outlook on things yields positive results. I mean, if you always think the worst then you'll only see the bad. Always look for the good in any situation and it will always make it better."

Quinn's eyebrow rose. "I didn't know it was possible for someone to be so optimistic."

"Yes, well, I guess I have to be," Rachel replied, looking at her lap. "There's only so much disappointment you can take before you either have to give up or find a way to not be quite so disappointed."

"So, you went one way and I went the other," Quinn remarked. "You changed your perspective and I gave up trying so hard."

"And nothing is wrong with either of those things," Rachel replied. "I simply chose the option that was more to my personality. If you haven't noticed, I'm not one for giving up. I'm very persistent like that."

"I've noticed," Quinn said, side-eyeing Rachel before smiling.

"I personally think persistence is a good quality to have," Rachel said, smiling back. "We wouldn't be friends, after all. And I wouldn't be at NYADA, and I certainly wouldn't be destined for Broadway."

Quinn shook her head. She thought Rachel was a little insane, but it wasn't the first time she'd thought that. Rachel was the most intense, verbose, overly dramatic person she'd ever met, and she often wondered how someone so small could be so larger than life. Rachel was definitely one of a kind, which was probably a good thing. She didn't know if the world could take two Rachel Berrys. She definitely knew she couldn't.

"Well, since you're not refuting what I said, I'm going to have to assume you agree with me," Rachel added after a few seconds. "You like my optimism and my persistence."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "I'm going to go read."

Rachel laughed. "You're avoiding the question."

"It wasn't a question," Quinn retorted.

"Fine, then, you're avoiding the statement," Rachel replied.

Quinn shook her head. "Goodnight, Rachel."

"Goodnight, Quinn," Rachel said with a smile.

* * *

Quinn ran the duster along all the pictures on the wall, her eyes roaming over each one. She had seen most of them before, but there were two new ones from the dinner party Rachel had thrown. One of them was of Quinn with Jack in the kitchen, and the other was of the whole group that Rachel had forced them to take. It had actually taken five times to get the shot. Rachel had insisted on everyone smiling in the picture, which wasn't the easiest task considering Santana was one of the people in the picture. In the end they'd gotten it, though; Quinn had no idea how, but she suspected Brittany had something to do with it.

She looked over her shoulder when she heard keys jingling and then the front door open. It was late for Rachel to be getting home, but she'd texted Quinn earlier to tell her she was rehearsing in one of the studios. She surprisingly hadn't elaborated, but the delay in Rachel's arrival had been welcome. Quinn had plenty of cleaning to do and it was easier to do without the brunette there to distract her from it.

"What are you doing?" Rachel asked, walking into the living room.

"Dusting," Quinn answered, holding up the duster.

"Why are you dusting?" Rachel wondered, furrowing her brows. "I'm fairly certain this apartment is dust free."

"Because my mother will be here in two days," Quinn replied, running the duster along the two remaining picture frames.

"Yes, but I can assure you the pictures on that wall were dusted only yesterday," Rachel said, looking at her with both amusement and confusion. "Haven't you seen the cleaning schedule? I dusted and mopped the whole living room yesterday, and I'm certain I dusted those very picture frames."

Quinn ignored Rachel and deliberately ran the duster over every picture frame a second time. She didn't care if Rachel had cleaned the entire apartment; she knew how her mother was and she wasn't going to take any chances. Because while she may find the apartment more than suitable, Quinn didn't want to give her any reason to criticize the state of it.

"Quinn," Rachel said, walking over to Quinn, and pulling the duster from her hand.

"Look, you don't know my parents," Quinn said, holding her hand out, hoping Rachel would take a hint and give it back to her.

"Well, then, why don't you explain it to me," Rachel replied.

"My mother will nitpick every little thing," Quinn said, shaking her head. "Unless this place is spotless, she'll make some little comment about how I obviously haven't gotten around to cleaning. It happens every time."

"Quinn, this place _is_ spotless," Rachel replied. "And I thought just the other day that you said you gave up caring,"

"I don't care," Quinn stated.

"It seems like you do," Rachel argued, poking Quinn with the end of the duster.

Quinn opened her mouth, but then closed it with a sigh. She really didn't want to admit the reason to Rachel, but the brunette was staring at her expectantly, obviously waiting for a response.

"I'm used to her," Quinn finally said after a few moments, averting her eyes. "I just don't want her to make you feel bad."

"What?" Rachel asked.

"I don't want her to say anything that's going to hurt your feelings," Quinn repeated, rolling her eyes at herself.

"Really?" Rachel asked, smiling at Quinn.

"As I said, you don't know my parents," Quinn said. "My mother can be incredibly passive aggressive, and I don't want to give her a reason to say anything to you. I know she will, but at least she won't be able to about this."

"Quinn, I'm certainly used to the quintessential 'mean girl'," Rachel said, using air quotes. "I'm sure it won't be anything I haven't heard before. The subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, comments about the way I look or the way I dress or my personality. I learned how to ignore it long ago, and your parents will be no exception. But just because I can ignore it, it doesn't mean I don't notice it, so don't think I didn't notice all those eye rolls and little comments that _you_ made."

"You need to stop poking me with that thing," Quinn said when Rachel jabbed her with the duster again to emphasize her point.

"I will," Rachel agreed. "If you promise to stop dusting this already dust free wall. I'm sure you have much more important things to do, after all."

Quinn sighed, but then nodded, relenting. "Fine."

"Good," Rachel said, smiling widely, clearly pleased with herself. "Now, I'm going to make dinner, and you're going to relax."

"If by relax you mean study, then yeah," Quinn replied.

"Regardless, it's better than cleaning an already spotless apartment," Rachel said, raising her eyebrows at her.

* * *

"Can we talk?" Quinn asked.

"Of course," Rachel said, shutting off the television, and turning toward her. "What do you want to talk about? It's nothing bad, is it?"

"No," Quinn replied. "Well—" Quinn sighed as she sat down. "I just—I wanted to warn you."

"Warn me?" Rachel asked. "Warn me about what?"

"I know I've told you about my parents, but I don't think you really understand what they're going to be like," Quinn replied. "I guess I just thought I should prepare you for tomorrow."

"Quinn, I think I'm perfectly prepared to meet your parents," Rachel said.

"I don't think you are," Quinn argued.

"Okay, then," Rachel said, pulling her leg underneath her, and turning fully toward Quinn. "Prepare me."

"Okay, first off, don't let my parents fool you," Quinn advised. "They'll play nice in the beginning, at least toward you, making you think they're the nice, perfect couple that they pretend to be. As soon as they find out you're into the arts and see the pictures of your fathers on the wall, that'll all change. They only keep the facade up for people they think are worth it, usually people with money, but even though you have money—"

"They won't think I'm good enough," Rachel said, nodding in understanding.

Quinn looked away. "Yeah."

"Alright," Rachel said. "I can handle that. It wouldn't be the first time someone has looked down on me because I have two fathers. There are a lot of bigots in this world, Quinn, even in New York City."

"Yeah, but those bigots aren't going to be here in your apartment," Quinn replied.

"_Our_ apartment," Rachel corrected. "And maybe they haven't been, but that doesn't mean I can't handle it.

Quinn ran her hand through her hair; she didn't know how Rachel could be so nonchalant about it. If Rachel had met her parents, she would completely understand, but since she hadn't, she was underestimating just how crappy Judy and Russell Fabray could be. Quinn had lived with them her whole life, though, and she knew exactly how demoralizing they could be if you let them.

"Just—"

"Quinn!" Rachel interrupted. "I'm fine. I'm prepared! Now, is there any chance you would be interested in some takeout and a movie? I know we do it a lot and it's a little boring, but—"

"It sounds perfect," Quinn said. "Maybe it'll take my mind off the fact that my parents are going to be here in less than twenty-four hours. Thank God my parents aren't staying here." Quinn paused. "Speaking of God, you may want to avoid telling my parents you're Jewish if you don't want them to comment on that, too."

"I'll remember that," Rachel replied, patting Quinn's arm, and then standing up. "So, how does Indian sound? Or would you rather French? Or maybe Japanese? What would you prefer?"

"Can we order pizza?" Quinn asked.

"We have pizza all the time," Rachel replied. "You don't want something a little more special?"

"I want something as greasy and fattening as possible," Quinn said, causing Rachel to look at her questioningly. "You'll understand when my parents get here. My mother is all about eating healthy and telling you you'll get fat if you eat things like pizza."

"So you want pizza," Rachel replied with a smile. "I believe I would be okay with that. And for the record, I can't imagine you ever being fat."

"You should have seen me in middle school," Quinn remarked.

"You're allowed to have a few awkward years in middle school," Rachel replied. "I actually think it was a requirement. I was all bushy bangs and braces when I was in the seventh grade. I've made certain to destroy all photographic evidence of that time period, so the pictures don't end up on the internet when I'm famous."

"Of course you did," Quinn said, thinking it sounded exactly like something Rachel would do.

Rachel laughed. "You choose a movie while I go order dinner for us."

Quinn grabbed the remote from the coffee table and was so flipping through Netflix, trying to find something good to watch that they hadn't already seen before. It was easier said than done, though; they had watched a lot of movies in the months that she'd lived there and it seemed like they never added anything new. Or at least nothing good.

"Have you chosen?" Rachel asked, walking back into the living room after a few minutes.

"No," Quinn replied, tossing the remote on the cushion next to them. "There's nothing good."

"How about a television show, then," Rachel suggested. "I've heard this one about a post-apocalyptic world is pretty good. Or we could continue watching Gilmore Girls."

"Whichever is fine," Quinn said, shrugging.

"You're very agreeable today," Rachel commented.

"Don't get used to it," Quinn replied, resisting the urge to smile.

* * *

Quinn looked up and took a deep breath as the elevator ascended. Her parents were standing behind her, and she could practically hear them thinking. They didn't say anything, but she could tell they were impressed the moment they walked into the lobby. Even so, she was still a little nervous about them coming into the apartment even if she would never admit it. Admitting it would be a sign of weakness, and if there was one thing a Fabray hated it was appearing weak in any way.

"This elevator is a little slow," Judy commented.

"We're almost there," Quinn said, and the elevator slowed a moment later.

The doors slowly opened and Quinn stepped off the elevator, her parents only a step behind her. When Quinn opened the front door, she took a step inside the apartment and stepped to the side, allowing her parents to walk ahead of her. They both stopped just inside the foyer, though, and looked around the apartment. Her father was observing the molding—she had no idea why, but it was something he always did at new places—while her mother was probably critiquing the decor.

"Hello," Rachel said, immediately standing up from the couch when Quinn closed the front door.

"Hey," Quinn replied.

"Hello," Russell said with a slight nod.

"Mom, dad, this is my roommate, Rachel," Quinn introduced.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Fabray," Rachel greeted, holding out her hand, and giving them her best smile. "I hope you had an acceptable flight."

"Yes, it was fine," Judy replied, shaking Rachel's hand. "Thank you for asking."

"Have you had dinner, yet?" Rachel asked, looking toward Quinn.

"We were thinking of going out," Quinn answered.

Rachel nodded. "Well, if you would like any recommendations, I'm sure I could give you a few suitable suggestions."

"Thanks, but I think I'm just going to take them to the Italian place on the corner," Quinn replied.

"Oh!" Rachel said, smiling at Quinn, and then looking over at Judy and Russell. "That's a wonderful place; I'm sure you will both love it."

"Would you like to join us?" Russell asked, though Quinn knew it was more out of manners than actually wanting Rachel to come with them.

"Oh, no," Rachel replied. "Thank you for the offer, but you just arrived, and I'm sure you would like to spend the time with your daughter without me intruding."

"So, dear, are you going to give us a tour?" Judy asked.

"I was just about to," Quinn replied, giving her mother a forced smile.

Quinn showed her parents the apartment, starting at Rachel's bedroom, which she didn't actually take them into, and ending with hers, which she did show them. Both of her parents were quiet, her father occasionally making grunts of acknowledgement. Her mother appeared pleased, nodding her head in approval, but her father was a little more stoic. But since he wasn't saying anything about what a dump it was—something he'd been very vocal about when he saw pictures of her apartment with Brittany and Santana—she figured he didn't have any complaints. And that was saying a lot since Russell Fabray almost always had complaints about everything.

"Quinnie, did you—" Judy lowered her voice, "did you say your rent was the same as when you were living with those two friends of yours in that—rustic little apartment."

Quinn saw Rachel try to hide her smile at Judy's mention of 'Quinnie', but it wasn't fast enough. Quinn shot her a glare, hoping to make it clear that Rachel was never allowed to call her that if she valued her life.

"We made an arrangement," Rachel said for her, obviously having heard despite the fact that Judy had whispered. "I agreed to let her live here without an increase in rent. You see, my parents purchased this apartment for me when I was accepted into NYADA, so payment isn't really necessary. I simply like having a roommate, so she received a good deal on an apartment and I don't have to live alone. I believe that's what they call a win-win situation."

Quinn was relieved Rachel didn't mention that she was actually living there rent free. She hadn't mentioned to Rachel that she hadn't told her parents, so Rachel either picked up on it or Quinn had just gotten lucky.

"Well, it's certainly better than that last apartment of yours," Russell said.

"Yes, you have a lovely place," Judy added, looking at Rachel.

"Thank you," Rachel said, smiling.

"Why don't we go get this dinner you were talking about?" Russell said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Quinn nodded and then looked at Rachel. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"I'm certain," Rachel said, nodding, and giving her a soft smile. "Thank you for the invitation."

Quinn wished she could decline going as well, but since that obviously wasn't an option, she gave Rachel a look that said she was lucky to have a choice and then led her parents over to the door.

* * *

"So, what are you plans for this morning?" Rachel asked, blowing on her coffee as she leaned against the island.

"I'm not sure," Quinn answered.

"You said your mother is coming, right?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, she should be here soon," Quinn replied.

"But you don't have any plans?" Rachel asked.

"Anything I plan, she'll just have another suggestion," Quinn said, shaking her head. "But she won't come out and say that she wants to do something else. She'll just tell me it sounds nice and casually mention how she thought we'd do something a little more," Quinn threw her hands up, "whatever."

"So you thought you would simply let her choose and avoid the whole process," Rachel said with a nod.

"Exactly," Quinn replied.

"What is your father doing today?" Rachel wondered.

Quinn shrugged. "Probably working."

"During his vacation?" Rachel asked.

"It wouldn't be the first time," Quinn replied. "In the off chance that he takes a vacation, he rarely spends it relaxing. My parents took my sister and I skiing when I was fifteen. We stayed at a cabin, which my parents specifically got because it had an office, and he stayed in there the whole time. The only time we really saw him was for dinner. I'm sure their trip up here will be no different."

"That's too bad," Rachel said, pursing her lips together with a frown. "I certainly understand how it can be, though. My fathers are certainly what one would call workaholics. Fortunately, when they go on vacation, they actually go on vacation. It was the only significant time I ever really got to spend with them, so it was always my favorite time of the year."

"I always liked it just because I could get out of Ohio for a little bit," Quinn replied.

"You really didn't like it there, did you?" Rachel asked.

"Would you?" Quinn asked back.

"You're right," Rachel replied. "I'm sure I would have been counting down the days until I could move to New York City."

"And that's probably my mother," Quinn said a moment later when there was a light knock at the door.

Rachel gave her a sympathetic smile before Quinn sighed and walked to the front door. She was happy she'd had the morning to herself, but now that was about to end. She knew her mom would want to spend the rest of the day with her and that her father would probably join them at some point.

"Hi, dear," Judy greeted.

"Hi, Mom," Quinn said, receiving a light hug from her mother, and then leading her toward the kitchen. "You remember Rachel."

"Of course," Judy replied, giving Rachel a smile.

"Hello, Mrs. Fabray," Rachel greeted. "I hope you're enjoying your stay so far."

"We had a nice dinner yesterday evening," Judy said with a nod. "I just don't understand why this city is so dirty. I'm sure there are plenty of people employed by the city, and I don't understand why they can't keep it a little cleaner."

"I guess it's just difficult when you have a city with millions of people and even more tourists," Rachel commented. "I'm sure they do their best."

"I just don't understand why Quinn would want to move to a place like this," Judy said, looking at her daughter. "Ohio is so much nicer, don't you think?"

"I actually like it here," Quinn replied.

Rachel smiled. "New York certainly has a lot to offer. I will admit that it can be a little unclean, but if you can look past that, it really is the best city in the world."

"Quinnie, if we don't leave soon, won't we be late?" Judy asked.

Quinn frowned for a moment, glancing at Rachel, and then asked, "Late for what?"

"For church service," Judy replied.

"Oh," Quinn said. "Um, I haven't really settled on a church up here."

"You've lived up here for almost three years," Judy stated. "You're still going to church, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Quinn lied. "Not every week because I have so much studying to do, but I've been."

Rachel's eyebrows rose, and Quinn knew it was because she hadn't been to church since she'd moved into the apartment. She had been since moving to New York, but it had been at least a year since the last time she'd gone. And it wasn't because she didn't believe in God anymore. She just didn't necessarily believe in going to church every weekend to prove her belief like her parents did.

"Why don't we go to brunch, instead?" Quinn suggested. "We didn't really get to talk last night, and I thought it might be nice."

"I suppose we could do that," Judy replied.

"Great," Quinn said, putting on a fake smile.

"I hope you don't mind if I use your restroom first," Judy said

"Yeah, it's—"

"I know, dear," Judy interrupted. "You showed your father and I yesterday."

"Right," Quinn mumbled to herself as her mother walked away.

"Do you want company?" Rachel asked the moment the bathroom door was closed. "I could help be a buffer."

Quinn shook her head. "Thanks, but I wouldn't subject you to that. I wouldn't even subject Santana to that. Well, maybe Santana."

Rachel laughed. "Well, if you change mind, all you have to do is ask. I would be more than happy to help."

"I'll keep that in mind," Quinn said, giving her a smile.


	18. You're Amazing

**Chapter 18 – You're Amazing**

"So how is the parental visit going?" Jack asked, sitting down in the seat next to Quinn with heavy sigh.

"Quinn rolled her eyes. "About as well as can be expected."

"That good, huh?" Jack asked.

"Well, my mom wanted to go to church yesterday, and when I talked her into going to brunch, she spent the whole time asking me about my churchgoing habits," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"I didn't know you go to church," Jack commented.

"I don't," Quinn replied. "Not anymore."

"And she didn't know that," Jack said, giving a knowing nod.

"Church was never about going to worship," Quinn explained. "Going to church was more of a sport. To be seen so everyone else knows you're going. My mother goes to learn the newest gossip and my father goes so no one will realize the Fabrays aren't the perfect family."

"That sounds like fun," Jack said with a light laugh.

"Yeah, it was wonderful," Quinn sarcastically replied.

"So, are they completely driving you nuts?" Jack asked.

"Dinner wasn't so bad the other night," Quinn said, shrugging. "My father mostly talked about work. I'm sure the passive aggressive criticism of my life will begin soon; they were too busy talking about Frannie and Ian deciding to start a family to get around to it yesterday."

"Your sister?" Jack asked.

Quinn nodded. "Yeah."

Quinn knew she would never hear the end of it if her sister actually had a kid. She heard about her sister's life enough without adding a child to it. Her parents had drilled it into both her and her sister that they wanted to be grandparents—her mother in particular—so they were both overjoyed at the prospect of Frannie finally starting a family.

"How long did you say they're gonna be here?" Jack asked.

"A week," Quinn said with a sigh. "They're staying until Saturday, and then they're going to go to Frannie's."

"I'm glad my parents haven't just decided to drop by," Jack remarked. "I couldn't imagine having them around for a week. I mean, they're not as bad as yours, but they're not exactly the ideal parents."

"Is that why you never talk about them?" Quinn wondered.

"I don't know," Jack said, shrugging. "I mean, we haven't exactly been friends for a long time. We were really more of acquaintances slash semi-friends until this semester. And I just usually don't really talk about them; I don't really see them a lot or really even talk to them, so it just doesn't come up a lot. They're not exactly terrible parents or anything; they're just kinda distant and weren't necessarily thrilled to have a gay son. I mean, they didn't kick me out, but it was more of a complete denial that I ever told them, which wasn't easy when you finally find the courage to tell someone something so important and then they pretend like it never happened."

"I can imagine the same thing would happen if I ever came out to my parents," Quinn remarked. "Or there would be yelling. Or yelling and then complete denial the next day."

Jack sighed. "It sucks, doesn't it? When your parents don't actually want to know _you_. When they just want to know the person they think you should be and ignore everything else about you."

"I know that feeling," Quinn replied. "Which is why I wish my parents never came. I hate pretending to be someone I'm not."

"So why do you?" Jack asked.

"Because I just want to get through this week without causing any trouble," Quinn answered. "Actually, I just want to make it through college. My scholarship only pays for so much and I can't exactly afford rent even if I got a job. Maybe after this summer I'll be able to, but not now."

"I'm sure Rachel would let you stay with her," Jack said with a smirk.

"I can't," Quinn replied.

"Why not?" Jack asked. "Someone's gonna get to stay with her, and it might as well be you."

"Because staying there for a semester is one thing, but staying there longer would just make me feel like a complete mooch," Quinn replied.

"I don't think she'd see it like that," Jack remarked.

"Maybe not, but she should," Quinn replied. "I don't want her to think I'm taking advantage of her."

"I think she'd rather have a friend there than a stranger, which is what's going to happen come July when you move out of there," Jack said, shaking his head.

"I'm not staying there," Quinn stated.

"Or maybe you could think about it," Jack replied, poking her in the shoulder with his pencil just as their professor walked into the classroom.

* * *

"So, Quinnie, you haven't told us about who you've been seeing," Judy said before taking a sip of her wine.

"That's because I'm not dating anyone," Quinn replied.

"Oh," Judy said, pursing her lips together. "Is there a reason you're not seeing anyone, dear?"

"No," Quinn replied.

"What about that one boy I've heard you mention?" Judy asked. "What's his name? Jake."

"Jack," Quinn replied. "And I don't think I'm his type."

"Nonsense," Judy said, waving her off. "I'm sure you can get any boy you want. Although, you may want to think about adding an extra day at the gym."

"Judy, I'm sure our daughter spends enough time at the gym," Russell interjected. "Sometimes your metabolism slows down when you get older. You know this."

"You never said what makes you think you're not this Jack guys type?" Judy asked.

"Because he has a boyfriend," Quinn replied. "Or what is probably going to be his boyfriend sooner or later."

"So, are you still in that same major of yours?" Russell asked, clearly trying to change the subject.

"Yes," Quinn replied. "I'm still majoring in comparative literature. Even if I wanted to change, it's a little too late now."

"It's never too late to change," Russell argued. "The business world is always looking for intelligent people, and you'd be perfect for it."

"Wouldn't that be nice?" Judy asked. "You and your father could work together. I'm sure his company would love to have you."

"I like my major," Quinn said for what was probably the tenth time since she declared one.

"But what are you going to do with it?" Russell asked.

"I don't know," Quinn admitted. "Maybe I'll work in a library or become an editor or maybe I'll write."

Quinn didn't have the answers her parents wanted, but it didn't matter to her. She didn't know what she wanted to do with her life, but she knew what she loved, and as long as she was happy and comfortable, she was okay with it. Her parents had all the money in the world, but neither of them were very happy, and she didn't want to be like them. Once upon a time she thought she would be fine with that life, but not now. Now, she wanted more than that.

"Well, I'm glad we're paying thousands of dollars for you not to know what you want to do with your life," Russell said, holding out his glass in a mock toast.

"You have finals coming up, don't you, dear?" Judy asked.

"Yeah, in three weeks," Quinn replied.

"Does that mean we can expect you home for the summer or are you going to stay here again?" Russell asked.

"I was thinking of staying here and getting a summer job again," Quinn replied. "There's also a class I was thinking about taking during the last half of the summer. They don't teach it that often and I'd really love to take it."

Quinn had honestly never thought about going to Lima for the summer. She couldn't imagine having to live with her parents for three months, and she definitely didn't want to be back in that town. She would make a lot more money if she got a job in New York, and she wouldn't end up waitressing at Breadstix or some other restaurant.

She wouldn't even be that concerned with getting a job for the summer, but she wanted to save up as much money as possible before she had to move out of Rachel's apartment. She'd thought about taking Shauna up on her offer of putting in at the bookstore, but it just wasn't that feasible when she had a full workload at school. Now that the semester was almost over, though, there was no reason for her to not find a job.

"Aren't you going to come home at all?" Judy asked.

"Of course," Quinn replied. "I just think it would be good idea to find a job and get some work experience."

She would probably go to Lima to pacify her parents—she still needed them to pay for her schooling, after all—but she was hoping to limit her time in Ohio. She had only spent a few days there over the winter break, but she'd had the displeasure of spending three weeks there the previous summer. She had been miserable being back there, sitting through her parents' dinner parties and having to live in such a toxic environment again, and she didn't want to have to do that again. Or at least she didn't want to have to be there for so long, and if she had a job and a summer class, she'd have the perfect excuse not to stay there for very long.

"Where the hell is that waitress of ours?" Russell asks, looking around the room. "I need another drink."

Quinn sighed and ran her hand through her hair. She wished she'd gotten a drink like her parents had, figuring it probably would have made dinner with her parents a little more bearable.

* * *

"Two more weeks until we're free," Jack said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"I think you're forgetting about finals," Quinn replied.

"Yeah, but only two more weeks of class," Jack said. "_And_ we only have one more book to read."

"I thought you liked to read," Quinn remarked.

"Yeah, but it gets a little tiring when you're forced to read books you have no desire reading," Jack replied. "I'm looking forward to this summer when I can actually read what I want to read. You know, something that isn't all intellectual and I don't have to analyze every little thing about it."

"I can't disagree," Quinn said, slowly beginning to walk toward the door.

"Do you have any plans for tonight?" Jack asked, following her.

"I don't really know," Quinn replied.

Her parents hadn't been very clear about what they were going to do that day. She knew her father had some work to do and there was talking of seeing a few of the museums, but they hadn't discussed it beyond that. Considering she'd spend the past four evenings with one or both of her parents, though, she really hoped she would get the evening off. It was exhausting being around them so much and she could definitely use a day to recharge.

"Well, if you don't have any plans, I've heard a rumor that some professors are secretly giving bonus points if we show up at that poetry session happening tonight," Jack said. "I don't know if it's true, but it can't hurt, right? Not that you really need it. What, do you have like a hundred percent in every class? Do you even need to take any of the finals?"

"That's an—Mom," Quinn said, stopping in her tracks when she saw Judy Fabray standing in the middle of the hallway. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I came to see you, of course," Judy replied.

"Wow," Jack said under his breath, looking at Quinn out of the corner of his eye.

She knew his reaction was probably due to how her mother looked. She practically looked as if she'd stepped off the set of a movie from the nineteen-sixties with her floral dress, updo, and the pearls around her neck. It was how she always looked, so Quinn was used to it, but she knew it could take some people by surprise.

"You're done with classes for the day, right, dear?" Judy said.

"Yeah, this was my last one," Quinn replied.

"Well, I thought we could get a late lunch," Judy said, glancing over at Jack. "Your father has a conference call with China or one of those countries over there, so I thought we could spend the afternoon together. If you're not busy with your friend here."

"Oh, um, this is Jack," Quinn introduced. "Jack, this is my mom."

"So you're Jack," Judy said, smiling. "Quinn has spoken about you."

Quinn had seen that smile on her mother's face before, and she knew exactly what it meant. She used it when she was judging someone but didn't want them to know it. Quinn knew it was because her mother disapproved of her being friends with Jack just like she disapproved of Quinn being friends with Brittany and Santana.

"Do you want to come with us?" Quinn asked, raising her eyebrow at him.

"I think I'll pass," Jack said with a laugh.

"Are you sure?" Quinn asked, hiding her smile.

"Positive," Jack replied, giving her a smile. "I'll see you Monday, okay? Unless you decide you want to go to that thing tonight."

"Umm, yeah, I think I will," Quinn said, running her hand through her hair.

"Was the lure of bonus points too much for you?" Jack asked.

"Something like that," Quinn said, raising her eyebrow.

"I got ya," Jack replied, nodding in understanding. "I'll see you tonight, then."

Quinn watched as Jack walked down the hall, looking over his shoulder at her with a slight grin. Her mother, who was silently standing next to her, thankfully seemed to miss the look. Of course, she was too busy looking around in suspicion at the students walking around the hallway. Not that Quinn could really blame her; her mother lived in Ohio, after all, and there was someone walking down the hall with bright green hair, which wasn't exactly something you would see in Lima.

"So that's Jack," Judy remarked after a few moments.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"He doesn't seem—"

"Gay," Quinn interrupted.

Judy flinched slightly at the word like Quinn had just sworn. "You know, Quinn, I don't know why you have to be friends with so many of those people."

"Those people?" Quinn asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

"Please, Quinnie" Judy said, holding up her hand. "This is neither the time nor the place to talk about this."

Quinn looked away, rolling her eyes. "Isn't it always?"

* * *

Quinn ran her hand through her hair as she sat down next to Rachel with a sigh. The brunette was so engrossed in whatever movie she was watching that it took her several minutes to look over at Quinn. When Rachel did finally look over at her, she observed Quinn for a few seconds before a frown slowly appeared on her face.

"Are you alright?" Rachel asked, pausing the movie, and then turning toward Rachel. "You look—I don't know." Rachel tilted her head. "Did everything go okay with your parents today?"

"If you think watching my father hit on our waitress while my mother pretended like nothing was going on then yes, everything was great," Quinn replied.

Rachel let out a light gasp and asked, "Your father really did that?"

"It wasn't the first time and I doubt it will be the last," Quinn replied. "He's usually a little less blatant about it, but I guess he had a little too much to drink."

"Please tell me he isn't an alcoholic as well," Rachel said, her frown deepening.

"I don't know if I would call him an alcoholic, but they're both quite fond of their alcoholic beverages," Quinn replied. "They're not exactly falling down drunks or anything if that's what you're asking."

"Well, that's good I suppose," Rachel said, looking down.

"He's cheated on her," Quinn admitted before she could think better of it.

"Your father has cheated on your mother?" Rachel asked, looking a little scandalized.

Quinn nodded. "She knows it; he thinks she doesn't know, but she does. She just pretends like she doesn't know that he slept with his secretary or my babysitter when I was twelve. Who knows how many others there have been. Those are just the two I found out about." Quinn shook her head. "He doesn't always try to hide it."

"That's terrible," Rachel said, furrowing her brows. "How can he do that to his wife?"

"I don't think he's thinking about her when he does it," Quinn commented.

"I'm really sorry, Quinn," Rachel said, giving her a look of sympathy. "It must have been terrible growing up like that. My fathers may have a lot of faults, but at least I've never doubted that they're in a loving, committed marriage. I can't imagine what it would be like to know one of them was cheating on the other."

"I'm so happy they're leaving tomorrow," Quinn said, shaking her head. "I don't think I could take another day with them."

"So, it's been that terrible?" Rachel asked.

"Well, yesterday my mother starting going on about 'those people' when she met Jack," Quinn replied. "She said she didn't want to talk about it, but as soon as we went to lunch, she started talking about it. And, of course, she started asking about the pictures on the walls and who the two men are."

"Did you tell her I have two fathers?" Rachel wondered.

"I did, and then she began talking about how two men are unfit to raise a child." Quinn sighed and looked at Rachel. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Rachel said, giving Quinn a sad smile. "Did she say anything else?"

Quinn bit her lip for a moment and then said, "She started talking about how gay parents raise gay children. You know—the usual ignorant belief some people have. I pointed out that straight parents raise gay children all the time, so who was to blame for that, but she didn't want to hear it."

"So, does she think I'm a lesbian who's going to corrupt her daughter?" Rachel asked with a slight smile.

Quinn gave a laugh. "Probably."

Rachel hummed but didn't say anything else. After a few moments, she picked the remote control up from where she'd sat it, but she played with it rather than playing the movie again.

"I did warn you about them," Quinn said after a while.

"You did," Rachel replied with a nod. "I guess I just didn't want to believe that people could be so—"

"Terrible," Quinn supplied when Rachel didn't finish her sentence. "Ignorant? Antiquated?"

"I guess I just don't understand people such as your parents could raise someone like you," Rachel replied. "Because as far as I can tell, you're nothing like them. Which is a good thing. A wonderful thing, actually."

"What are you watching?" Quinn said, grabbing the remote from Rachel's hand, and unpausing the movie in an attempt to change the conversation away from her.

"The Family Stone," Rachel replied.

"I've never heard of it," Quinn said.

"That's too bad," Rachel replied, glancing over at her. "I'm sure you could appreciate the dysfunctional nature of the family."

Quinn gave a light laugh and said, "Maybe."

* * *

"Quinn?" Rachel asked from the other side of the door.

"What?" Quinn asked back.

She heard the door slowly open but didn't bother to look up. "I was just wondering if you've eaten."

"I'm not hungry," Quinn said as she stared up at the ceiling.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked. "I don't think you've left your room since this afternoon, which was over seven hours ago."

"I'm sure," Quinn said in a flat voice.

She hoped Rachel would leave it at that, but she knew better than to think Rachel would go, so she was unsurprised when Rachel stayed in the doorway. Quinn wasn't exactly in the mood to talk, though, so she remained silent in hopes that Rachel would eventually take the hint and walk away.

"Quinn," Rachel said after a few moments.

"What?" Quinn asked with a sigh.

"What's wrong, Quinn?" Rachel asked, walking over to the bed, and setting down on the edge. "And don't say you're fine, because I know you well enough to know that you're not."

"I'm not really in the mood to talk," Quinn said.

"Okay," Rachel softly replied. "We don't have to talk. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me."

Quinn was a little surprised when she felt Rachel stand up. She wasn't used to Rachel giving up so easily, especially not when she knew something was bothering Quinn. She was actually one of the few people who didn't leave her alone whenever she didn't want to talk. Santana had never been the type to care enough and Brittany was just used to leaving her alone when she was in a bad mood.

"Wait," Quinn said, sitting up. "So—maybe I am hungry."

Rachel smiled. "I thought you may be, which is why I've already ordered from the hibachi restaurant. I hope you don't mind; I ordered your favorite. It should arrive in the next fifteen minutes."

Quinn shook her head as she moved to the edge of the bed.

"What?" Rachel asked.

"Nothing," Quinn replied, running her hand through her hair. "You're just—" Quinn shook her head again. "Nothing."

"You're allowed to say I'm annoying," Rachel said. "It certainly wouldn't be the first time."

"That's not what I was going to say," Quinn said as she stood up from the bed. "I was actually going to say that you somehow always seem to know what I want. Or need." Quinn gave a light laugh. "Even when I don't know it."

Rachel smiled. "Would you like to watch a movie or are you in the mood to do something else?"

"I think I'd rather do nothing," Quinn said, walking toward Rachel, and then following her into the living room.

"Okay, we can do that," Rachel replied, walking toward the island, and pulling out two of the stools, patting one of them as she looked at Quinn. "But I would rather not sit here in complete silence, so I'm going to request that we at least talk." She nudged her shoulder into Quinn's as she sat down. "Maybe about the fact that something is obviously bothering you tonight."

"It's," Quinn sighed and then rolled her eyes, "my parents."

Rachel nodded. "I thought that may be the case. Are you relieved they're gone?"

"Oh, you have no idea," Quinn replied.

"I'm sorry you had a rough week," Rachel said.

"I just hate what they do to me when I have to be in the same room with them," Quinn said, shaking her head. "It's like I'm fourteen again, and whether I want to admit it or not, I just want their approval. I turn into this other Quinn, who tries to be the perfect daughter. I hate that I won't just tell them where to stick it."

"Do you ever try to tell them how you feel?" Rachel asked.

"Every time I try to express an opinion, they tell me it's not the place." Quinn shrugged. "If you can't tell, questioning things isn't really big in the Fabray household."

"For what it's worth, Quinn, I think they will realize they already have the perfect daughter," Rachel said, giving her a smile. "Maybe not today or tomorrow, but they'll realize it one day. And not some other version of you, but this wonderful woman who is sitting in front of me right now. You're amazing, Quinn. You're perfect just the way you are, and don't ever let your parents make you think otherwise."

Quinn shook her head, about to refute what Rachel had said, but before she could say anything, Rachel leaned over and kissed her cheek, pulling away just as there was a knock on the door.

"That must be dinner," Rachel said, standing up from her stool. "Would you mind getting us drinks?"

"Yeah," Quinn slowly replied. "I can do that."

"Thank you," Rachel said, reaching out, and squeezing her hand with a smile before walking to the front door.


	19. Suddenly I See

**Chapter 19 – Suddenly I See**

Quinn saw Rachel look at her for the third time in the last few minutes but ignored it. She had been doing it anytime they were in the same room together, and it was beginning to make Quinn uncomfortable, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she pretended as if she didn't notice Rachel's occasional glances.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Rachel asked, suddenly standing up from the couch.

"No," Quinn said, leaning her head against her hand.

Quinn was staring at the television, but she was barely watching the movie. She wasn't even sure what it was called or what was going on even though they had to be at least halfway through the movie. She wondered if Rachel was even paying attention to it since she kept looking over at her, or if they were both just mindlessly staring at it.

"Did I miss anything?" Rachel asked when she come back and sat down on the couch.

"No," Quinn replied, truthfully having no idea whether or not anything important had happened.

"I suppose I should have paused it," Rachel commented. "Don't you hate it when you get up and miss something in a movie? It's especially bad when you're at the movie theater and don't have the option to pause the movie."

Quinn hummed in acknowledgement but didn't say anything, which just caused Rachel to look at her again. She wasn't in a very talkative mood, and she knew Rachel was probably a little frustrated with her for it. The brunette had tried to get a conversation started several times, but it had always fallen flat. But Quinn just wasn't in the mood to talk about pointless things like the benefits of watching a movie at home rather than at a theater.

"How were your classes today?" Rachel asked after a few minutes.

"Fine," Quinn replied.

"Do you have any exams coming up?" Rachel wondered.

"Just finals," Quinn replied.

"And those are in two weeks, right?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"I'm thankful NYADA doesn't have finals week in the traditional sense," Rachel remarked. "I have quite a few performance coming up to show how far I've come over the semester, but since I'm only taking one general education course this semester, my finals exams will be quite different than yours. That isn't to say they're not important; they certainly have a big impact on my final grade, but I'm completely confident I'll pass all of them with flying colors."

"I'll just be happy to be done for the semester," Quinn said, sinking down further into the couch.

"What's wrong, Quinn?" Rachel asked.

"Who says anything is wrong?" Quinn asked back.

"Because I know you, Quinn, and I can tell when something is bothering you," Rachel replied. "I've been trying not to pry because I know you don't always like to talk about things, but I thought I would ask in case you want to talk about it. You've been—I guess I would say you've been distant since your parents left."

"It's nothing," Quinn replied in a monotone voice.

"Would you tell me if it _was_ something?" Rachel asked.

"Don't worry about it," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"I can't help worrying about it," Rachel replied. "That's what friends do. We worry when the people we care about suddenly change, and you've been unusually quiet for the past few days. I'm not saying it's necessarily a bad thing, but I just wanted to make sure it isn't something you would like to talk about."

"It's not," Quinn said, glancing over at Rachel.

Rachel nodded. "Alright."

"When my fathers leave, I know I always feel a little strange," Rachel commented after a few moments. "I suppose you could say I feel a little empty in a way. Just when you get used to the disruption in your life, they leave and then sometimes it's difficult to get back to your everyday life."

"It's not that," Quinn replied. "I couldn't be happier that they're gone."

"Then what is it?" Rachel asked.

"I told you it's nothing," Quinn replied.

"Forgive me, Quinn, if I don't entirely believe you," Rachel said.

Quinn sighed. "You're going to miss the movie."

"I could always pause the movie," Rachel replied, looking over at her. "But I get your point. You don't wish to discuss it even though I think it may do you some good." She glanced at the television and then back to Quinn. "If you change your mind—"

"You're here," Quinn interrupted. "I know."

She appreciated having someone around if she wanted to talk, but she really didn't want to talk. And she hoped Rachel would drop it; she didn't want to deal with the brunette interrogating her. Unfortunately, Rachel didn't seem to be the type to let things go, so she knew it was only a matter of time before she began questioning her again. She wasn't going to pretend like everything was okay, though; she spent enough time in high school doing that.

* * *

"Guess what?" Jack said, sitting down next to Quinn with a grin on his face.

"What?" Quinn asked.

"You're supposed to guess," Jack replied.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "I don't want to guess."

"You're no fun," Jack said, shaking his head.

"That's not the first time I've heard that," Quinn replied.

Jack crossed his arms over his chest and didn't say anything, and for a moment, Quinn didn't think he was going to continue. It was obvious that he was dying to say whatever had gotten him so excited, though, so she was unsurprised when a smile slowly spread across his face and he turned toward her.

"Logan finally asked me to be his boyfriend," Jack said, grinning. "We were talking on the phone last night and decided to finally make it official."

"I'm happy for you," Quinn replied.

"You don't look very happy," Jack remarked. "What's up with you?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Quinn asked.

"Probably because it's obvious that something is up with you," Jack replied.

"Gee, thanks," Quinn said.

"Rachel didn't start annoying you again, did she?" Jack asked. "Is she waking you up at five am singing show tunes?"

"No," Quinn replied. "Well, yes, but I'm used to it."

"Then what is it?" Jack asked.

Quinn didn't know why everyone suddenly felt the need to pry into her life, but she wished they would all just mind their own business. She was used to getting it from Brittany, but now she also had Rachel and even Jack doing it. It was certainly a departure from high school. There was a reason she'd overheard people referring to her as the 'Ice Queen' on more than one occasion. No one dared to try to pry into her life because they knew they would get nothing but an icy stare, and she'd liked it that way. Life had been much simpler when she could keep everyone at arm's length.

"Look, you don't have to talk about it," Jack relented. "You've just been a little weird lately and I thought I'd ask."

"I'm just a little stressed," Quinn lied. "Finals are coming up and I have a lot to study for."

"I know what you mean," Jack said. "I've been trying to get through this last book and it feels impossible. God I hate finals. I think they just do it to torture us. I mean, why does one test determine so much of your grade? How can taking five or so tests in one week really tell how much you know? It can't! It just shows how much you can cram into your brain at once and you just have to pray you can remember it long enough to take the final. Speaking of which, you wanna study together some next week? I'm actually trying to get a jump on things this time."

"Yeah, we can do that," Quinn replied.

"Great," Jack said. "How's Tuesday?"

"Tuesday is fine," Quinn replied.

Jack nodded and then pulled his notebook out from his bag. "Okay, seriously, what's up with you? I mean, you're never the most talkative person in the world, but this week you've been all—" Jack threw his hands up. "I don't even know. I can just tell something's off."

Quinn groaned and put her head on her desk, hitting it a little harder than she'd intended. She was beginning to wonder if Rachel had rubbed off on him during the dinner party or something because he'd never been this interested in her life before. What was next? Was Santana going to call her, concerned that they hadn't talked in a while? If that happened, Quinn was pretty sure it would be a sign that the world was coming to an end.

"Alright, alright," Jack said. "I'll drop it."

"I don't understand why everyone is suddenly so interested in my mood," Quinn mumbled.

"I'm guessing Rachel's noticed it, too," Jack remarked.

"Who else?" Quinn replied.

"Did you two get in a fight?" Jack asked.

"I thought you were dropping it," Quinn replied.

"I'm just making sure someone isn't going to find her dead body in your apartment," Jack said with a laugh.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "No, we didn't get in a fight."

"Well, the only other thing I could think of probably wouldn't have you in a bad mood," Jack said, smiling at her. "I'm guessing quite the opposite actually."

"And what does that mean?" Quinn wondered.

Jack laughed again and shook his head. "Nothing. Just forget it."

"I swear, if you're—"

"Good afternoon class."

"Saved by the bell," Jack whispered with a grin when the end of Quinn's sentence died off at their professor's appearance at the front of the room. "Metaphorically speaking."

Quinn pulled her book out of her bag and opened it up to the section they were supposed to have read. And as she did so, she wondered if Jack was talking about himself or her when he was talking about being saved.

* * *

Quinn softly cursed to herself when her keys dropped onto the floor with a loud clang. She was trying to be quiet since it was late and Rachel was probably already asleep. They'd slipped out of her hand, though, when her arm knocked into the door. She hoped Rachel hadn't heard it and was extra careful to quietly close the door the rest of the way before reaching down and picking up her keys from the hardwood floor.

"You're getting in late."

"Jesus," Quinn said, nearly jumping out of her skin.

"I'm sorry," Rachel replied.

Quinn shook her head. "I thought you would be in bed by now."

"I was just about to go, actually," Rachel replied. "I was watching a documentary on the history of the Broadway musical. It was quite interesting."

"Sounds fun," Quinn sarcastically said.

Rachel smiled. "I didn't think you would be interested in it, which is why I made sure to watch it on an evening when you were not present. I know not everyone is as enthralled with Broadway as I am even if I don't understand how someone cannot think it's the greatest thing in the world."

Quinn hummed and pulled her bag off her shoulder before walking into the kitchen. She opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water from within, glancing around the fridge for a moment since she hadn't eaten all evening, but since it was nearly midnight, she decided to forego food and closed the door.

"Have you been at the library all evening?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn said, turning around, and setting her bag on the island.

"You must have gotten a lot of studying done," Rachel commented.

Quinn shrugged. "Not really."

"Oh," Rachel said, furrowing her brows. "Why not?"

"For the first half I was making sure everything was organized and I had to print off some things," Quinn explained. "And then I ran into Jack, and you know how that can be. I really only studied for the last few hours."

"At least you have everything organized, though, right?" Rachel said.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"I can certainly appreciate that," Rachel said with a smile. "At boarding school we used to have some very intense final exams. I would always make myself a study schedule and I would have a table of contents and index to go along with each class. I found it made studying easier; if I needed to search for a particular fact, I could easily find it."

"Maybe I should start doing that," Quinn remarked.

"I'm sure your way is just as effective," Rachel replied. "You have a perfect grade point average, so you must be doing something right."

"I spent four hours typing up the notes that I left in the margins of the books I was reading," Quinn stated.

"Oh, well, maybe you should type them to begin with rather than writing in the books," Rachel suggested. "Or maybe you could do it after you finish each book. Then you wouldn't have to do it all right before finals, and it would give you more time for actual studying."

"I think the same thing every semester," Quinn replied.

Rachel lightly laughed. "Maybe next semester you will finally put the plan into action a little earlier."

"Maybe," Quinn replied.

Rachel clasped her hands together and looked down at the floor for a moment before looking up at Quinn through her lashes. "I guess you're tired after being at the library for so long."

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded and glanced toward her bedroom door. "I guess I should get to bed, too. I have one of the studios reserved for the morning, and I don't think my dance partner would appreciate it if I were to be late."

"Probably not," Quinn agreed.

"Well—goodnight, Quinn," Rachel said.

"Night," Quinn replied.

Rachel gave her a slight smile and then turned and began walking toward her bedroom. Quinn looked down at her bottle of water as Rachel headed toward the bedroom, glancing at the door when it was finally closed behind the brunette. After a few more moments, Quinn picked up her bottle and her bag, and flicked off the kitchen light.

* * *

"I'm starting to think you live here now."

Quinn slightly shook her head as she finished writing the end of the sentence. "Maybe I should."

"Does that mean I can move into that ridiculously huge apartment of yours?" Jack asked.

"You'd have to ask Rachel, but I'm sure she'd let you," Quinn replied.

Jack laughed as he sat down in the seat across from her. "Seriously, what are you doing here again? It's gotta be quieter at your place."

Normally it was quieter at the library than at the apartment, but with everyone descending upon the library to study for finals, it was much more crowded than usual, which meant it was also a lot louder. Quinn didn't necessarily mind it, though; she'd always liked the atmosphere of the library, quiet or not.

"I like it here," Quinn replied after a few moments, setting her pencil on her notebook, and leaning back in her chair.

"Uh huh," Jack said, his eyebrow rising as he looked at her.

"I do," Quinn replied.

"I'm not saying you don't," Jack said with a light shrug.

"Then what are you saying?" Quinn asked, knowing there was more to the look he was giving her.

"You tell me," Jack replied.

"We're not doing this again," Quinn said, rolling her eyes.

"Look, just tell me what the hell's been bothering you or whatever and I promise I'll leave you alone," Jack replied.

"Or you could leave me alone anyway," Quinn said.

"I would, but I'm trying this new thing where we're actually friends—more than just friends from class—and friends usually check to make sure the other is okay, especially when it's obvious that something is up with them," Jack replied.

Quinn sighed and looked away, but glanced back at Jack. It was possible that she'd had something on her mind a lot that week, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to really talk about it. If she was going to talk about it with anyone, though, it would probably be Jack. Brittany may be her best friend, but she knew Jack was a lot less likely to push her into anything. Brittany was prone to getting overexcited and that really wasn't what Quinn needed at the moment.

"It's obvious you want to talk, so talk," Jack said, leaning forward.

"I really hate you right now," Quinn stated.

"Noted," Jack said with a smile.

"I think Rachel likes me," Quinn rushed out as she also leaned forward.

"No shit," Jack replied, laughing.

Quinn's eyebrow rose at his reaction.

"I'm just saying it was kinda obvious," Jack said. "I mean—just the way she looks at you. It's like she thinks you're going to start walking on water or something." He paused for a moment and then added, "Plus, Logan told me."

"And how does he know?" Quinn wondered.

"I guess Rachel told him," Jack said, shrugging.

"So why didn't _you_ tell _me_?" Quinn asked.

"I didn't really think it was my place to," Jack replied. "But since you've already figured it out—wait, is this why you've been so weird the last few days?"

"I haven't been weird," Quinn argued.

"Uh, yeah, you have," Jack argued back. "What made you finally figure it out, anyway?"

"I don't know," Quinn replied. "I guess it just clicked. She'd been telling me how beautiful and perfect I am for a while, but I guess I finally figured out why she's been telling me that."

"To be fair, I think Rachel would do that regardless of whether or not she had feelings for you," Jack said. "It's just kinda seems like the type of person she is. She wants to make everyone feel good about themselves."

"She also kissed my cheek," Quinn admitted.

"Okay, not exactly a declaration of love, but I can see why it would make you realize she may have more than friendly feelings for you," Jack said before lowering his voice. "I've gotta ask. Now that you know how she feels about you, the question is how do you feel about her?"

"She's—" Quinn sighed and looked away. She wasn't entirely sure how she felt about Rachel; she was just—Rachel. Rachel, who had somehow gone from being the most annoying person Quinn had ever met to actually becoming her friend. She would be lying if she said she hadn't ever found Rachel attractive. The brunette occasionally walked around in workout clothes that left little to the imagination, and it was hard not to notice how fit she was.

"Well?" Jack said.

"I don't know, okay?" Quinn replied.

"Okay," Jack said with a nod. "Fair enough. Does she know you know?"

"I haven't said anything," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"Well, maybe you should talk to her," Jack suggested. "Maybe it'll help you figure things out."

"Or maybe it'll just make everything even more awkward," Quinn replied.

"Always a possibility," Jack agreed with a nod.

"I need to get back to studying," Quinn said, picking up her pencil, and pulling her notebook toward.

"Oh, yeah," Jack said, sitting up straighter, and then clamoring out of the seat. "I'll let you get to it."

"And Jack?" Quinn said when he turned around to walk away.

"Yeah?" he asked, turning back around.

"Don't tell your boyfriend," Quinn said, giving Jack a look to make sure he knew the request was not optional.

"I won't," Jack replied. "I promise."

* * *

Quinn shifted on the couch and Rachel glanced at her out of the corner of her eye. They were watching Mamma Mia, a movie Quinn had never seen before but Rachel insisted she needed to, and it was finally coming to an end. Other than it being a musical, Quinn wasn't entirely sure why Rachel felt like she needed to watch it. It wasn't terrible, but she wasn't a huge fan of ABBA and at least one of the actors sounded like a dying whale.

"You didn't like it, did you?" Rachel asked, looking over at her the moment the credits began appearing on the screen.

"It was fine," Quinn answered with a shrug of her shoulders.

"I'm sorry," Rachel apologized. "I thought you may enjoy it, but I guess not."

"I didn't hate it," Quinn replied.

"Well, since you obviously didn't love it, why don't you choose the next movie," Rachel said, offering the remote control to Quinn.

"Actually, I was thinking about going to bed," Quinn replied.

"Oh," Rachel said, setting the remote on her lap. "Okay."

It was early for her to be going to bed, especially for a Saturday night, but she had been up late most of the week and it was beginning to catch up to her. She had been yawning all day and had trouble keeping her eyes open for the last half of the movie, and she really didn't think she'd be able to make it through another one,

"I'm just really tired," Quinn said, stifling a yawn.

"I guess you have been getting up rather early and going to bed quite late," Rachel commented. "I hate to imagine what the next two weeks are going to be like for you."

Quinn hummed and laid her head back against the couch, closing her eyes. "Finals week is always hectic."

"More like finals month," Rachel said. "Do you always begin studying so early?"

"Yeah," Quinn answered.

"I don't think I've ever met anyone so dedicated to school before," Rachel said.

"That's because you've probably never met anyone who doesn't want to go back to Ohio as much as I do," Quinn remarked. "I really don't want to have to live with my parents ever again, which means I can't give employers a reason not to hire me."

"I understand completely, Quinn," Rachel replied. "But I don't think you have anything to worry about. If the person in charge of hiring is intelligent at all, they will see how amazing you are and hire you on the spot. Not just because you have perfect grades and go to a prestigious school, but because you're clearly the best person anyone could ever hope to hire."

Quinn shook her head. "You're only saying that because—"

"I'm not just saying it because we're friends," Rachel replied when Quinn didn't continue. "I'm saying it because it's true."

Quinn was going to say it was because Rachel liked her, but she didn't want to make things weirder between them. She had to live with Rachel, after all, and she didn't want things to become tense. It was weird enough knowing that Rachel liked her; she didn't want Rachel knowing she knew.

Quinn was trying to act as normal as possible, but it was easier said than done. She was used to both men and women liking her, but it was the first time she'd ever lived with one of them. The only roommates she'd ever had before were Brittany and Santana, who only had eyes for each other, so this was something new.

"Quinn?" Rachel said after a few moments.

"Yeah?" Quinn asked.

Rachel opened her mouth for a moment, but then closed it, giving her a smile as she shook her head. "Nothing. Never mind. I should let you get to bed; you look really tired."

"No, what is it?" Quinn asked.

"I was just going to talk to you about having another dinner party next week," Rachel said. "I know it's the week before finals, but I thought everyone could use the break. So, just think about it, okay? But I just want you to know that I will completely understand if you're too busy and don't want the distraction, so don't hesitate to tell me."

Quinn nodded. "I'll let you know tomorrow."

"Great!" Rachel said, smiling widely. "Well, goodnight, Quinn."

"Night," Quinn replied.

Quinn stood up from the couch and stretched her arms over her head before she began walking toward her room. As she passed by Rachel, the brunette looked up at her and gave her another smile. When she neared her bedroom door, she looked over her shoulder at Rachel.

"Goodnight," Quinn said again.

"Goodnight, Quinn," Rachel replied, looking back at her. "I hope you sleep well."

Quinn gave her a slight smile and then opened her door, walking into her bedroom.


	20. A Surprise

**Chapter 20 – A Surprise**

"What's wrong with you?" Brittany asked, furrowing her brows as she looked at Quinn. "You're acting really weird."

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Quinn asked back, tossing her napkin on her plate.

"Maybe because you're acting different," Brittany replied.

Quinn ran her hand through her hair in frustration. Maybe she'd been a little quieter than usual, but she didn't think she was being _that_ weird even if everyone else seemed to disagree. She was just trying to wrap her head around the fact that Rachel liked her and trying to figure out what that meant.

"How am I acting different?" Quinn asked.

"I don't know," Brittany said with a shrug. "You just are."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "That's really helpful."

"Okay, you haven't really talked to Rachel the whole time I've been here," Brittany said, looking over her shoulder at Rachel, who was sitting at the piano looking over her sheet music.

"She's busy," Quinn replied, picking up her glass, and taking a sip of soda. "Her finals are this week."

"Okay, but even when she's in the same room with you, you ignore her," Brittany said.

"I don't ignore her," Quinn argued.

"What do you call not talking to her?" Brittany asked as Quinn stood up.

"I didn't know I had to talk to her every time we're in the same room," Quinn said, picking up her plate, and walking it over to the sink.

"You didn't ask if she wanted to come to the park with us," Brittany stated.

"I told you she's busy," Quinn replied. "Why would I ask her to come to the park when she has things to do? She would just say no anyway,"

"Maybe, but you could've at least asked," Brittany said.

Quinn sighed; she didn't want to be stuck in the conversation with Brittany. They were just going around in circles, and she had better things to do. The only reason Brittany was even there was because she'd promised to spend an evening with her after cancelling their lunch the previous week. So, Quinn had put the studying aside for the night, but if Brittany was going to keep doing this, she was going to tell her she needed to get back to work and ask her friend to leave.

"Look, nothing is going on," Quinn said, quickly glancing over at Rachel as she turned toward Brittany. "I'm just tired. You know how I get around finals week."

"You promise that's all it is?" Brittany asked.

"Yes," Quinn lied.

Brittany stayed quiet for a moment, but then nodded and said, "Okay." Brittany walked over and grabbed Quinn's hand. "Let's watch a movie. Rachel, do you want to watch a movie with us?"

"I probably shouldn't," Rachel said, looking up at Brittany, and then looking back down at her sheet music. She bit her lip for a moment and then looked up again and smiled. "Actually, a movie sounds nice. I could certainly use a break. What movie did you have in mind?"

"You pick," Brittany replied. "I'm gonna use the bathroom."

Quinn watched Brittany walk across the room and then looked over to Rachel, who was looking at her. Quinn gave a light shrug and then turned toward the sink to rinse off her plate and put it in the dishwasher.

"Why don't you choose the movie?" Rachel suggested. "I believe I picked the last one we watched."

"I don't care what we watch," Quinn said, grabbing her glass from the island.

"Does that mean you would be perfectly fine watching Mamma Mia again?" Rachel asked.

Quinn glared over her shoulder at Rachel, who had a grin on her face. "Very funny."

"I'm just proving that you do care what movie we watch," Rachel replied.

Quinn sighed to herself and poured some more Diet Coke in her glass. "Fine, I'll pick a movie."

"Good," Rachel said, sitting down in the middle of the couch. "I don't think my brain can make any more decisions this week."

"Does that mean you've finally picked a song?" Quinn asked, walking over, and sitting to Rachel's left.

"Unfortunately, no," Rachel replied. "I just can't decide if I want to go with something more contemporary or if I should go with a classic song."

"What does everyone else usually do?" Quinn asked.

"They usually go with something more classic," Rachel replied.

"Then do something contemporary," Quinn said, grabbing the remote control from the coffee table.

"While I would normally agree with trying to stand out, this teacher isn't necessarily known for appreciating more modern music," Rachel replied. "Which is why I'm torn. I've never been one for playing it safe, but I would also rather not receive a poor grade."

"Maybe you could do one of those mashups," Quinn suggested.

"A mashup?" Rachel said, a smile slowly appearing on her face. "Why, Quinn, I think you just solved my dilemma. Thank you."

"No problem," Quinn replied, giving her a small smile.

* * *

"Would you like any more casserole?" Rachel asked, offering the dish to Quinn.

"Um, sure," Quinn replied.

Quinn reached out for the bowl, her hand brushing against Rachel's as she did so. Quinn jerked her hand away a little too quickly, knocking her glass with her elbow, but she managed to steady it before it fell over.

"I'm sorry," Rachel said, furrowing her brows in concern. "I didn't shock you did I?"

"No—no," Quinn replied.

When Rachel looked down, Quinn rolled her eyes at herself. She didn't mean to jump when Rachel touched her, and she felt like an idiot for doing it. She had just been so aware of everything Rachel had been doing all day. Really, it had begun Monday night while they were watching the movie with Brittany and Rachel's arm had brushed against hers. She knew it wasn't intentional on Rachel's part, but yet it had caused her to notice every little move Rachel made.

It may have taken her a while to realize Rachel liked her—or at least to finally admit it to herself—but now that she had, it was at the forefront of her mind. It didn't help that Jack was constantly giving her looks as if he was expecting her to announce that she and Rachel were in a relationship now, but at least he wasn't saying anything. And as far as she knew, he also hadn't said anything to his boyfriend, or if he had, Logan hadn't said anything to Rachel.

"After dinner, would it be okay if I run the menu for the dinner party by you?" Rachel asked. "I promise to not take up too much of your time."

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "Sure."

Rachel had thankfully not been so obsessive about this dinner party. She had only brought it up to Quinn when she asked about her thoughts on having it, when she had to ask her to extend an invitation to Brittany and Santana, and then when she let her know that she'd settled on having Italian food for the evening. Quinn could tell she was just as excited about this one as the first, but she wasn't bombarding her with questions like the first time. She wondered if Rachel was less nervous about it this time or if she just knew Quinn had a lot on her plate without having to worry about helping out with the dinner party as well.

"So, Quinn, how is the studying going?" Rachel asked after a few minutes of silent eating.

"Fine," Quinn answered.

Rachel nodded. "You've been spending so much time in your room and at the library that I'm sure you'll do great on your exams. I can't imagine anyone being more prepared than you."

Quinn had been spending a lot of time at the library; she'd spent nearly all of the previous day there, holed up in her favorite study spot. She hadn't left the library until well after ten, when she knew Rachel would be getting ready to go to bed if she wasn't already asleep. Since Rachel had been doing a lot of dance and vocal exercises, it had worked out well. Rachel got uninterrupted rehearsal time and Quinn didn't have to leave her room every five minutes to ask Rachel to keep it down.

"I'm hoping I won't have a lot to do next week," Quinn remarked. "I mean, I'll review things before my exams, but I tend to do better if I'm not so stressed."

"So, that's why you start so early?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "I guess I like to get the intensive studying done the few weeks before finals."

"I suppose that makes sense," Rachel said. "If you know everything beforehand, then you just have the actual exams to focus on. You're not worrying about if you'll have enough time to study for the next one or trying to read something at the last minute. You can simply review your notes and then go in and ace the exam without so much pressure."

"Hopefully," Quinn replied.

"I have complete faith in you," Rachel said, giving her a smile.

Quinn paused for a moment and then asked, "Why?"

"Why what?" Rachel asked, giving her a curious look.

"Why do you have faith in me?" Quinn asked.

"Why wouldn't I" Rachel asked back. "You're probably the smartest person I've ever met, Quinn. I have no doubt you can do anything you put your mind to."

"Are you like this with everyone?" Quinn wondered, sitting back, and running her hand through her hair.

"Like what?" Rachel asked. "Optimistic? Encouraging?"

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

Rachel shrugged and then slowly smiled. "Only the people who deserve it."

"And you think I do?" Quinn asked.

"I know you do," Rachel replied.

Quinn hummed and then reached out, picking up her glass of water. She wasn't entirely sure she deserved anything from Rachel considering her behavior toward the brunette when she first moved in, but Quinn wasn't going to argue. She doubted it would do much good, anyway.

* * *

"I think that's the best lasagna I've ever had," Jack said, pushing his plate away, and leaning back in his chair.

"Why thank you," Rachel replied, smiling widely.

"It wasn't terrible," Santana said with a nonchalant shrug.

"Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment," Rachel replied.

Santana narrowed her eyes slightly, but before she could respond, Brittany was saying, "It was really great, Rachel."

"It's too bad Logan couldn't come," Jack remarked. "Lasagna's his favorite."

"Yes, it was a shame," Rachel replied. "But there are going to be plenty of leftovers, so if you'd like, I can make up a plate for you to take to him."

"That'd be great," Jack said, smiling at her. "I'm sure he'd appreciate it."

"Are we gonna do this again?" Brittany asked.

"Actually, I was hoping to make it a monthly occurrence, so if the rest of you would be willing, I would be more than happy to do this again next month," Rachel replied.

"I'll never say no to good food," Jack said.

"I was actually thinking that maybe San and I could do it next time," Brittany replied.

"I don't think everyone can fit in our apartment, sweetie," Santana said.

"That's why I was gonna ask if we could still have it here," Brittany said, smiling over at Rachel. "San and I could bring all the food and fix it, so you wouldn't have to do anything. Because she's right; our apartment is really small and I don't know if we'd all fit."

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Rachel replied, smiling back. "If Quinn doesn't mind."

Quinn shrugged and said, "It's fine with me."

"Then it's settled," Rachel said, looking happier than Quinn had ever seen her. "We'll have the next dinner party here with Brittany and Santana hosting it."

"Does that mean I'm gonna have to do it eventually?" Jack asked. "Because I'm a terrible cook. I mean, I can try, but we may want to have pizza on speed-dial. And maybe the fire department."

Rachel laughed lightly. "No one is forcing anyone to do something they're not comfortable doing."

"Cool," Jack replied. "I can always buy dinner for everyone, though. I just don't trust my culinary skills enough to feed all of you without burning the place down or giving you food poisoning."

"Dessert should be ready in about ten minutes," Rachel said, looking at the oven timer. "So while we're waiting, I guess I could tell you about the little surprise I have for all of you."

"A surprise?" Brittany asked, her eyes brightening.

"What kind of surprise?" Santana asked, looking much more skeptical than her girlfriend.

"Don't worry, Santana, it's nothing bad," Rachel replied. "Quite the opposite, in fact."

"Don't look at me," Quinn said when Santana looked at her. "I don't know anything about it."

"That's because I wanted it to be a surprise for you, too," Rachel replied, giving Quinn a smile. "Since everyone has been working so hard studying for finals or going to work or both, I thought maybe we could all use a little break. Which is why I've rented a beach house in Cape Cod for five nights, and I'm inviting everyone here to come." She glanced at Jack. "And Logan, of course."

"Are you serious?" Jack asked.

"Very," Rachel replied. "We leave on the nineteenth. I hope you're all free"

"Uh, yeah, that's awesome!" Jack said, getting up and hugging Rachel.

"San and I love the beach," Brittany excitedly added, pulling Rachel into a tight hug when Jack was done.

"It's alright," Santana said with a shrug, though it was obvious that she was just as excited as everyone else.

"What do you think, Quinn?" Rachel asked, walking up to the blonde while Brittany, Santana, and Jack began talking to each other about the surprise. "I know you were talking about getting a summer job, but I was hoping you could put it off until we came back. It's actually the reason I planned it for a week and a half from now rather than later in the summer."

"Why Cape Cod?" Quinn wondered.

"Because you said you'd never been to the beach, remember?" Rachel replied, giving her a smile. "I thought it was time you should go, and I figured you may have more fun with your friends there. Plus, I thought everyone could use a break from the city; I know I could certainly use one." Rachel suddenly looked concerned. "You don't already have plans, do you?"

"No," Quinn shook her head, "I don't have plans."

"So, does that mean you're excited?" Rachel asked, her look of concern turning hopeful.

"I think I'm just a little shocked," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded. "Well, that's understandable. Just tell me you don't hate the idea of going."

"I don't hate the idea," Quinn said.

"Good," Rachel said, giving her a smile.

* * *

"You're very quiet today," Rachel said, and Quinn looked up to find the brunette watching her.

Quinn's only response was a shrug, and then she looked back down at the notebook in her lap. She would have been at the library, but it was getting more and more crowded. A little too crowded for her taste. It was hard to find a quiet spot in the library, or even a place to sit down that wasn't the floor, so Quinn had left and went back to the apartment. Thankfully, Rachel was done with her finals, so she wasn't prancing around the living room in tight workout clothes or singing at the top of her lungs.

"Would you like me to get you anything," Rachel said, motioning to Quinn's empty bottle. "Water? Coffee? Something a little more substantial?"

Quinn shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Alright," Rachel replied. "If you change your mind, though, let me know."

Rachel walked over to the bookshelf that sat near the corner of the living room and picked up a book from the middle shelf. Quinn couldn't remember if she'd ever seen Rachel reading anything before, but the brunette took the book and sat down on the love seat, stretching her legs out across it. Quinn appreciated that Rachel was obviously trying to find a quiet activity for the evening, but it was odd seeing her lounging there with a book in her lap.

"I'm not disturbing you by being here, am I?" Rachel asked, looking up at Quinn, who was still looking at her.

"No, you're not," Quinn said, averting her eyes, and looking down at her notebook.

Quinn sat there for several minutes, jotting down a few things on note cards, but every now and then she would glance up at Rachel. The other woman was being perfectly quiet, the only sound an occasional squeak of the love seat or the rustle of a page, but Quinn was still finding it difficult to concentrate. She wasn't about to ask Rachel to leave, though; it was her apartment, after all, and Quinn could easily go to her room to study. Unfortunately, the couch was considerably more comfortable than Quinn's mattress, so the thought of going into her room wasn't very appealing.

"What are you reading?" Quinn asked after a bit.

"A book on Cape Cod," Rachel answered. "I picked it up at the bookstore last week.

"Can I ask you something?" Quinn suddenly said.

"Of course," Rachel replied.

"Why did you rent the beach house?" Quinn asked.

"I told you last night," Rachel said, furrowing her brows as she lowered her book. "You haven't ever been to the beach, and I thought everyone could use a break after finals. I know how stressful it can be, and I wanted everyone to be able to relax for a little bit."

"I know, but—"

"But what?" Rachel interrupted.

"You don't have to—" Quinn paused; she really didn't want Rachel to take what she was about to say the wrong way, but she really didn't know how else to say it. "I just want you to know that you don't have to—buy your friends."

Rachel frowned. "Is that what you think I'm trying to do?"

Quinn sighed. "I'm just saying you don't have to do things like renting a beach house to get people to like you. Brittany and Jack both already like you, and Santana—well, she's Santana."

"I can assure you that wasn't my intention," Rachel said, turning so she could put her feet on the ground. "I wasn't doing it to try to get people to like me more. I actually like doing things for people without expecting anything in return, and thanks to my fathers, I have the means to be able to. It's actually rare that I get the opportunity, because with most people, I know they're just going to take advantage of it. I know you and your friends aren't going to do that, though. Plus, it's a little bit selfish on my part; I want to go to the beach, and I would rather not go alone."

Quinn nodded and then looked down at her notebook again. She wasn't entirely sure that she believed Rachel, but she wasn't going to say anything further. She had just wanted Rachel to know that she didn't have to buy her friends, but now that she'd said it, there was nothing else to do.

* * *

Quinn glanced at the clock when Rachel practically stumbled through the front door. Her eyebrow rose as she watched Rachel fumble to put her keys on the hook next to the door, and she immediately knew the other girl was drunk. Rachel could be called a lot of things, but clumsy wasn't one of them, and the only other time she had seen her like this was when she had come home drunk the last time.

"Rachel, have you been drinking?" Quinn unnecessarily asked.

"Just a little," Rachel said, throwing her heels off, and leaving them in the middle of the living room, something she would never do under normal circumstances.

"You're drunk," Quinn stated.

"I can assure you I am not drunk," Rachel argued. "Although, I will admit I may be a little tipsy."

Rachel flopped down on the couch, giving Quinn barely enough time to move her legs out of the way. When Quinn sat up, she put her notebook and flashcards on the table, afraid that Rachel would somehow get everything out of order.

"Where did you go?" Quinn wondered.

"Out with a girl from one of my classes," Rachel replied.

"Oh," Quinn said.

"I'm afraid I didn't make a very good impression on her," Rachel said with a slight laugh. "Oh well."

"You don't seem to care very much," Quinn noted.

Rachel shrugged. "She's nice, but she's not—"

"She's not what?" Quinn asked when Rachel trailed off

"She's just not who I see myself being in a relationship with," Rachel said, shrugging again.

Quinn's eyebrow rose again; she thought about asking who Rachel _did_ see herself being in a relationship with, but she already knew the answer.

"I probably should have eaten this afternoon," Rachel commented, looking over at Quinn. "I only had a few drinks, but I hadn't eaten since breakfast, and I think it's why I become so tipsy."

"Probably," Quinn agreed.

Rachel shut her eyes and kept them closed, so Quinn leaned forward to pick up her notebook. As soon as she began reading over her notes, though, Rachel softly said, "Quinn?"

"What?" Quinn asked.

Rachel paused for a moment, but then asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

"You mean other than get drunk on your date and—"

"No, not that," Rachel interrupted.

"Then what?" Quinn wondered.

"With you," Rachel clarified. "Did I do something wrong? Did I somehow make you mad at me?"

"No," Quinn said, frowning slightly. "Why are you asking?"

"Because something's wrong and I don't know what it is," Rachel answered. "I know you're busy with finals and everything, but you really only talk to me when I talk to you. Ever since your parents left, you've been different. Is it something they said to you? Because you know you can talk to me if want."

Quinn sighed. "It's nothing they said."

"Can you just tell me if I did something wrong?" Rachel pleaded. "You're my only friend and I hate the thought that I may have done something to make you mad at me."

"Rachel, I'm not mad at you," Quinn replied.

"Well, something obviously happened," Rachel said, looking like she was on the verge of crying. "And don't tell me it's nothing. I'm not going to let you push me away and lie to me. Friends don't do that."

Quinn really didn't know what to tell Rachel. She didn't think she had been acting that differently, but she was obviously acting different enough for Rachel to pick up on it. Maybe she hadn't been quite as conversational as she had been in the past, but like Rachel had said, she was busy with finals.

"When we _do_ talk, it's usually about your exams or studying or something else that's not terribly important," Rachel added. "We've basically been having the same conversations over and over for the past few weeks."

"Are you sure you're not just drunk?" Quinn joked.

"I may have consumed a bit of alcohol, but that doesn't mean I'm not right," Rachel replied with a huff. "I actually tested out my theory this morning. You only ever conversed with me whenever I was the one to begin the conversation."

"I was studying," Quinn stated.

"Not just while you were studying." Rachel replied. "During breakfast, as well."

Rachel wiped at a tear that began to trail its way down her cheek and Quinn let out a sigh. This was definitely not how she saw her evening going. Then again, she hadn't expected a drunk Rachel to come home.

"I'm sorry," Quinn said, shaking her head. "I've just had a lot on my mind. I'm really not angry with you."

"Do you promise?" Rachel asked. "If you are, will you just tell me? I don't like not knowing."

"I promise," Quinn said, trying not to laugh at how cute Rachel was being.

Before Quinn knew what she was doing, Rachel leaned over and tightly wrapped her arms around her. Quinn froze for a moment, but then she realized her notebook was squished between them, so she carefully pulled it out and tossed it on the coffee table before slowly putting her arms around Rachel.

"Maybe I am a little drunk," Rachel conceded, burying her face in Quinn's shoulder.

"I'm going to go with yes," Quinn replied with a smile as she hugged Rachel back.


	21. All That Matters

**Chapter 21 – All That Matters**

"Ooh, over there!" Jack said, pointing across the room. "They're leaving!"

Jack had jumped up before Quinn could even figure out what he was looking at. As she looked up, he was rushing across the room, and sat down in the now empty chair before anyone else could reach it. He grinned triumphantly at her, and Quinn shook her head as she picked up her stuff from the floor.

The library was packed, but they'd agreed to meet there since there were several books on reserve that they may need and they weren't allowed to take them out of the library. Unfortunately, that meant they had been sitting on the floor for the past hour and a half since all the chairs in the library seemed to be taken. Thanks to Jack's keen observation and quick reflexes, though, he'd secured them two chairs.

"Thanks," Jack said when Quinn walked over and handed him his stuff. "I figured if I grabbed all my stuff it would've been too late."

"Probably," Quinn agreed, looking over at two girls who were obviously angry they hadn't gotten there first. "You may want to watch them."

"Who?" Jack asked, following Quinn's gaze, and then laughing. "They don't look happy."

"They can get over it," Quinn said, picking up her notebook, and scanning over the page to see where they had left off.

She hadn't really intended on studying a lot that week—she knew most of her notes by heart at that point—but Jack had asked her and she knew he could probably use a little help. He wasn't failing by any means, but she knew the final would determine whether or not he got an A or a B, so she had agreed to meet him for a few hours. Plus, she figured the extra studying couldn't hurt.

"What do you want to go over next?" Quinn asked. "I assume we can skip Goblin Market."

"Please," Jack replied.

"Do you need—"

"Hey," Jack interrupted.

"What?" Quinn asked, looking up at him.

Jack nodded, indicating something over Quinn's shoulder. She frowned, wondering what Jack was looking at, and then looked over her shoulder to see what he was grinning at. It took her a moment, but then she spotted Rachel walking toward them and she knew exactly what Jack was smiling about.

"I think your girlfriend brought coffee," Jack said, sitting up straighter to look across the room.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "You're starting to sound like Santana."

Jack laughed. "Sorry."

"There you are," Rachel said when she finally approached them. "I was beginning to think I would never find you. This library is enormous. And there are so many people here. I didn't know people still used the library."

"I think most people come here to get away from their roommates," Jack remarked and then seemed to realize what he said and suddenly looked like a deer in the headlights. "Not that that's what Quinn is doing here."

"What are you doing here?" Quinn asked Rachel, ignoring Jack's comment.

"Well, you've been gone a while and I thought maybe you two could use a little pick-me-up," Rachel said, offering the tray with two drinks to Quinn. "I got you a hazelnut latte and since I didn't know what you like, Jack, I bought you a vanilla latte. Most people like vanilla, right?"

"Yeah, thanks," Jack said, happily taking the drink with his name on it.

"How did you know what I usually get?" Quinn wondered.

"Oh, well—I may have sent a text to Brittany to ask her what you typically order," Rachel admitted. "I hope you don't mind."

Jack's eyebrows rose and he smiled at Quinn, but she ignored him and said, "No. Thanks."

"You're welcome," Rachel said, smiling at her when she took the drink. "Oh! I also brought a few snacks." Rachel pulled her bag in front of her and began rummaging around in it. "They had some really delicious looking blueberry muffins, so I bought two."

"You're awesome," Jack said when Rachel finally pulled the bag out and handed it to him.

"You really didn't have to do this," Quinn said.

"I know," Rachel replied, shrugging. "But it's not as if I had anything better to do this evening. School is over for the semester, and I've never had the most exciting social calendar. So, I went for a walk, and when I saw the coffee shop, I realized that maybe you and Jack could use the caffeine boost."

Quinn nodded, taking a sip of her latte. "Thanks."

"You're welcome," Rachel said again, smiling at Quinn. "Now, I think I'm going to go on the rest of my walk. I'll see you when you get home."

"Thanks again," Jack quickly said when Rachel began walking away.

Rachel smiled over her shoulder at him and then locked eyes with Quinn for a moment before turning back around.

"Don't," Quinn said when Jack opened his mouth.

* * *

"Can I ask you something?" Jack asked the moment Rachel had closed the front door.

"You're going to make me regret studying with you again, aren't you?" Quinn said.

"I'm being serious," Jack replied.

Quinn sighed and asked, "What?"

"Why aren't you and Rachel together?" he asked. "She likes you, and I think you like her too. Even when you hated her, she was all you talked about. I just don't get why you aren't dating her. I've seen the way you look at her. I mean, am I wrong?"

Quinn ran her hand through her hair and looked away from Jack. "We're here to study."

"Just answer this one thing," Jack pushed. "If she likes you and you like her, why aren't you dating?"

Quinn knew it was a bad idea to study at her apartment. Every time Rachel walked into the room, Jack gave her a knowing look and it was starting to piss her off, though she tried not to let him know that he was beginning to get to her. It was the same thing Brittany did, and she didn't need a second person thinking they knew better than she did. She wasn't surprised he had finally said something, but she was thankful he had waited until Rachel left the apartment. The last thing she needed was her roommate overhearing him.

"Tell me you don't like her and I'll shut up," Jack said. "Tell me you don't have feelings for her and I will never bring it—"

"Because I don't want to hurt her, okay?" Quinn interrupted.

"What makes you think you're going to hurt her?" Jack asked.

"Because it's what I do," Quinn replied. "I dated three guys in high school and I cheated on two of them. I broke their hearts and I didn't even really care. I made them fall for me because I could and because I wanted to be popular."

"Lots of people do stupid things in high school." Jack said.

"Have I really been much better since then?" Quinn asked. "I've never been in a real relationship; I always end things before it can get that far. Everyone I go out with I hurt." Quinn sighed. "And I don't even know if—"

"If what?" Jack asked.

"If I like her," Quinn finished.

It had been so long since she had been truly liked someone that she didn't even know if that was what she was feeling. She was afraid that she was just tired of being alone and so she had convinced herself that she was developing more than friendly feelings toward Rachel. The last thing she wanted was to hurt Rachel and ruin the other girl's only friendship in the process. Not to mention the fact that they were roommates and how it would affect that.

"Well, maybe you should find out," Jack replied.

"How?" Quinn asked.

"I don't know," Jack replied. "Kiss her."

Quinn shook her head. What he was saying was easier said than done when you didn't want to hurt the other person. Kissing Rachel would only get her hopes up and Quinn wasn't going to do that to her unless she was really sure. The problem was that she had spent so much of her life shutting off her emotions that she didn't always know what to do with them now. Especially not when it came to falling for another girl.

She had been in denial for most of high school, convincing herself that she wasn't feeling what she was really feeling. She knew her parents would kick her out—if not worse—if they ever knew she was having such thoughts, so she did everything she could to ignore it. To ignore who she really was. It wasn't until she'd left Lima that she finally admitted it to herself and then eventually told Brittany and Santana, who were not very surprised by her confession.

"You've been out with girls before, right?" Jack asked.

"A few," Quinn replied.

"Well, why does this have to be any different?" Jack asked.

"Because I actually care about Rachel," Quinn replied.

The front door suddenly opened and both Quinn and Jack jumped. They looked over at the front door, where Rachel was walking through despite the fact that she wasn't supposed to be back for several hours, saying she was going to spend the afternoon doing some shopping.

"I forgot my credit card," Rachel sheepishly said, noticing both of them looking at her.

"You should talk to her," Jack whispered, nudging Quinn when Rachel walked into her room.

"Okay, I'm off again," Rachel said, walking back out with her credit card in hand.

"Have fun," Jack said.

"How can you not when you're shopping?" Rachel asked, smiling at him before closing the front door again.

"Can you just let me figure this out on my own?" Quinn said as soon as the door clicked shut.

"Yeah," Jack replied. "But I just want you to know you don't _have_ to figure this out on your own."

"Thanks, but I need to," Quinn said.

Jack nodded. "Alright."

Quinn was silent for a moment, but then said, "Just know if you bring this up again, I'm going to start reciting Goblin Market every time you're around."

"That's just cruel," Jack said, narrowing his eyes at her.

* * *

Quinn groaned as she put her forehead down on the island. She could hear Rachel laughing lightly from the living room and getting louder as she approached the kitchen. Quinn didn't raise her head, though; she felt like her brain was turning to mush and it was too much effort to do anything but sit there.

"I hope that's no indication as to how your final exams are going," Rachel said, stopping just beside Quinn.

"Two more," Quinn said more to herself than Rachel. "Two more and I'm free."

"I'm sure you'll do wonderful on them just like I'm sure you did on your others," Rachel replied.

Quinn was a little caught off-guard when she felt Rachel's hand touch her back and begin to lightly rub it. She tensed for a moment, but then slowly started to relax her shoulders.

"Are you meeting Jack this evening?" Rachel asked.

"No," Quinn said, turning her head so she could actually see Rachel as she talked to her. "Our exam was today."

Rachel nodded and removed her hand from Quinn's back. "How do you think you did on it?"

Quinn shrugged. "Fine, I guess. There were a couple questions I wasn't sure about, but I would've had to have completely failed it to not get an A in the class."

"Then why did you study so much for it?" Rachel wondered.

"Jack needed an A on it to get an A in the class," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded. "So you did it to help him." She smiled. "He's lucky to have a friend like you."

"I don't know if 'lucky' is the right words," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"You're much nicer than you give yourself credit for, Quinn," Rachel replied.

Quinn didn't say anything. She didn't think she was that nice and she knew that Rachel was probably just biased. If you asked most of the people who had known her over the years, nice definitely wasn't an adjective many of the people would use to describe her. Quite the opposite, in fact.

"So, do you have any plans for the moment?" Rachel asked.

Quinn shrugged. "Not really."

"Does that mean I could get your opinion on a few clothes I purchased yesterday?" Rachel asked, giving her a hopeful smile. "I wanted to get a few new outfits for our little trip, but I'm not entirely certain about them, and you're one of the most fashionable people I've ever met, so I trust your opinion."

"It's not like I have anything better to do," Quinn replied.

"Is that sarcasm?" Rachel asked.

"No," Quinn said with a smile.

"Good," Rachel replied. "Sometimes I have a hard time telling. I'll be right back."

Rather than waiting at the island for Rachel to come back, Quinn stood up and walked over to the couch, collapsing onto it. She didn't know how long it was going to take Rachel or how many things she was going to show her once she came out of her room, but knowing Rachel, it would probably take a while. Especially since Quinn had seen the bags that Rachel brought back, and it looked like she had bought half of the store. Or more accurately, half of several stores.

"What do you think of this bikini?" Rachel asked when she finally walked out of her bedroom.

Quinn froze at the question and slowly looked over at Rachel, breathing a slight sigh of relief when she saw Rachel holding up the garment rather than wearing it.

"Do you think it looks okay or do you like this one better?" Rachel asked. "I couldn't choose, so I bought them both."

Quinn looked between the two swimsuits as she pondered the question. Rachel was a holding up a maroon and gold plaid bikini and a dark green one with lighter green flowers on it, the latter looking like it would be slightly more revealing than the first.

"Um," Quinn glanced between the two again, "either would look good."

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked, looking at them, and then looked back at Quinn. "Should I try them on?"

"No, no," Quinn said, trying to keep her voice even. "Both would look good with your skin tone, so I would just go with whichever one you like best."

Rachel nodded and then looked thoughtfully at the two bikinis. "Maybe I'll take them both; we're going to be there for nearly a week, after all. I'll be right back. I'm going to try on the dress I bought."

As Rachel turned and walked back into her bedroom, Quinn rolled her eyes at herself and suddenly began having seconds thoughts about this trip to the beach.

* * *

Quinn shifted and put her arm over her face, blocking out some of the light. She let out a groan and wondered what time it was, but when she looked over at her clock, she found herself looking at Rachel instead.

"Sorry," Rachel said, looking down at her. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Quinn sat up on her elbows and looked around. She was in the living room, having must have fallen asleep as she went over the notes for her exam the next day. She couldn't exactly remember falling asleep on the couch, but it was the only logical explanation since it wasn't as if someone picked her up and carried her in there. Her days were beginning to blur together, though, so she wasn't all that surprised that she didn't remember falling asleep there.

"I was trying not to disturb you, but I didn't want you to get cold, Rachel added, letting go of the blanket she'd been putting over Quinn.

"It's fine," Quinn replied, rubbing her eye, and then running her hand through her hair to get it out of her face.

"I didn't know if you would rather me wake you so you could go to your bed or if you would rather stay where you are," Rachel said. "You looked so peaceful, though."

"How long have I been asleep?" Quinn wondered.

"About an hour," Rachel answered. "It's a little after eleven."

Rachel had answered her next question without her having to ask it. It was no wonder Quinn had fallen asleep on the couch. The last thing she remembered was it being eight o'clock, so she had clearly lost track of time while reviewing her notes.

"It's okay if you want to stay here," Rachel said. "I can bring you a pillow."

Quinn shook her head as she sat up all the way. "I'll go to my room."

"Alright," Rachel replied, stepping back as Quinn stood up from the couch. "Well, goodnight, then."

"Yeah," Quinn said, looking over at Rachel. "Night."

Neither of them moved for a moment. Instead, they locked eyes and Quinn noticed Rachel's eyes flit down to her mouth for a split second. She had no doubt that Rachel wanted to kiss her, but considering Rachel wasn't the type to cross personally boundaries—at least not when it came to things like that—she remained where she was. For a second Quinn actually thought about being the one to do it, but then she averted her eyes. It wasn't the time or the place, and she didn't want to do something they would both end up regretting.

"Are you alright, Quinn?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied, looking over at her again. "I'm just tired.

"It's understandable," Rachel said with a nod. "One more exam, right? You're nearly done."

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "One more."

"Sleep well, Quinn," Rachel said, giving her a soft smile.

Quinn nodded and began to walk away but stopped and turned toward Rachel again. "I, um—"

"Yes?" Rachel asked.

Quinn sighed to herself and then shook her head. "I guess I just wanted to thank you. For trying to not let me freeze over night or sleep with a notebook in my arms."

"Oh," Rachel said, waving her off. "It was nothing."

"I wouldn't say that," Quinn replied, giving her a smile.

"It's what friends are for, right?" Rachel asked with a shrug.

"Yeah—friends," Quinn replied.

Rachel gave her a slight quizzical look, but Quinn turned a moment later without saying anything else and finally headed toward her bedroom. As soon as she was inside, she looked across the apartment and watched Rachel's bedroom door shut before closing her own.

As she let go of the doorknob and walked over to her dresser, she couldn't help wondering what was going on with her. She had actually thought about kissing Rachel for a moment, which wasn't an entirely new thought over the past month or two, but it was the first time she had almost acted on it.

Quinn wasn't even sure how she had gotten here. First she had hated Rachel—or at least had intensely disliked her—then Rachel had slowly become her friend without Quinn even really realizing it was happening, and now their friendship was beginning to become something more. And just like with them becoming friends, Quinn couldn't even pinpoint the moment things had started to evolve. It had happened so slowly that she hadn't even noticed her feelings beginning to change.

But there was no denying it now. She liked Rachel whether she was ready to admit it or not.

* * *

Quinn heard a knock on the door and looked over to find Rachel already walking toward it. She wasn't expecting anyone and didn't know that Rachel was either, so she wondered who it was, but then she noticed the money in Rachel's hand and knew she must have ordered out.

She listened to Rachel talk to the delivery woman for a moment, telling her to keep the change and then thanking her. When Quinn looked over again, Rachel was walking toward the kitchen with a pizza box and several other containers sitting on top of it. She took them to the island and then turned and opened the cabinet, pulling two plates out. Quinn frowned slightly since it was unusual for Rachel to order anything without consulting her first. Not that it really mattered; Quinn usually went with whatever Rachel wanted anyway. Since Rachel usually insisted on buying, it didn't feel right to argue with her about it.

"Dinner's here," Rachel announced as she set the plates down next to the pizza.

"What did you get?" Quinn wondered.

"Your favorite." Rachel replied with a smile as Quinn stood up and walked toward the kitchen. "In celebration of completing your finals. I also ordered salad and bread sticks because I know how much you love those even if I don't understand how it's any different than dipping your crust in marinara sauce."

Quinn smiled and shook her head as she thought of the argument they'd had regarding bread sticks. "I still say they're different."

"And we'll simply have to agree to disagree on that," Rachel said, picking up one of the plates, and offering it to Quinn. "The right side of the pizza is yours. I obviously wasn't going to get ham and bacon on mine for multiple reasons. You may have some vegetables on your side. I asked them to cut it a little uneven, so I wouldn't accidentally get any meat on my half."

"I'm sure I'll live," Quinn deadpanned.

"Now that dinner is here, what do you want to watch?" Rachel asked, opening the box. "Or would you like to do something else? Although, it would probably be difficult to do something else while eating."

"Pizza and a movie—we've never done that before," Quinn joked, raising her eyebrow.

"If you're tired of—"

"I'm kidding," Quinn said as she put a slice on her plate.

Quinn really didn't mind staying in and watching movies. She actually wasn't big on going to clubs; she would very much rather stay home on a Friday night than spend it getting hit on by a bunch of drunk people. She wasn't opposed to going out every now and then, but it wasn't something she wanted to do every weekend.

"I was actually thinking that we could watch your favorite movie," Rachel said, looking over at Quinn. "I don't think I've ever heard you mention your favorite movie, but I assume you have one. Or is it like how you don't have a favorite book?"

Quinn paused for a moment, her hand hovering over a bread stick. "To Kill a Mockingbird."

"Your favorite movie is To Kill a Mockingbird?" Rachel asked, watching Quinn as she filled the rest of her plate up with food.

"My favorite book," Quinn admitted. "I lied about not having one."

"Why would you lie about not having a favorite book?" Rachel wondered.

"Because I—" Quinn sighed. "I just wanted you to leave me alone."

"Oh," Rachel said, frowning. "Okay."

"Look, Rachel, I'm sorry," Quinn said. "I was a bitch to you when I moved in here. I thought you were annoying, so I didn't really give you a chance. Some things I had a right to be annoyed about like constantly being woken up before the sun came up, but I should have just talked to you about that."

"Why didn't you?" Rachel asked.

"If you haven't noticed, I'm not the best at talking things out," Quinn replied.

"Is there anything else you lied about?" Rachel asked, looking away.

"Probably," Quinn honestly replied. "I don't really remember."

Rachel nodded and turned to get a drink from the refrigerator. Quinn watched her closely, waiting for Rachel to say something else, but she remained quiet, which wasn't like her.

"I'm really sorry, Rachel," Quinn repeated. "I feel bad about it, and I probably should have apologized a while ago. I don't want you to be mad at me."

"I'm not angry, Quinn," Rachel replied, shaking her head.

"I don't want you to be hurt, either," Quinn said, reaching out, and grabbing Rachel's arm, pulling her so the brunette was looking at her. "I'm sorry."

"You've said that," Rachel replied.

"I want you to believe me," Quinn said.

"I do believe you," Rachel replied after a few moments, and then looked away again. "I always knew you didn't like me very much in the beginning, but I never knew you lied to me."

"Like I said, I was bitch then," Quinn said.

"I'm not arguing," Rachel said, looking over, and giving her a slight smile.

"So, we're both in agreement that I was a terrible person," Quinn stated.

"I've never thought you were a terrible person, Quinn." Rachel shook her head. "Why don't we both agree to put that all behind us? We both made mistakes in the beginning, but that's the past. We're friends now and that's all that matters. Okay?"

"Okay," Quinn agreed.

"Great," Rachel said with a smile. "Now, I would like to watch your favorite movie if that's alright with you."

"Even if it's a little embarrassing?" Quinn asked.

"Especially then," Rachel said, her smiling growing.


	22. Vacation

**Chapter 22 – Vacation**

"Holy shit!" Jack said as he walked into the beach house and took it all in.

"This is so awesome!" Brittany said.

Santana didn't say anything, but she did grunt in acknowledgement. Quinn remained silent as well, but she did nod in agreement with both Jack and Brittany. The main space was open, only a short wall separating the kitchen from the living room. The walls were white, as was most of the furniture, with some light blues and greens accenting it. All in all, it was exactly how Quinn would picture a beach house on Cape Cod.

"There are three bedrooms on the second floor and one bedroom on the first," Rachel said, setting her suitcase down, and walking toward one of the doors. "I thought Brittany and Santana could have this one. It has a private bath and a private entrance that leads to the backyard. The rest of us will be sleeping upstairs."

Quinn tried not to laugh. She had informed Rachel over the weekend that she should probably put Brittany and Santana as far away from the other rooms as possible. Quinn had to live with them in a small apartment, and she knew how loud they could be when they decided to perform certain activities, which was quite often. Quinn figured it was best to warn Rachel beforehand and spare everyone else from having to listen to Brittany and Santana's moans and screams.

"Jack and Logan, you can decide which of you will take the two bedrooms on the right," Rachel said, looking over her shoulder as she led the rest of the group up to the second floor. "There's a shared bathroom between the two rooms. They're a bit smaller than the other rooms, but it only made sense since there's only one of each of you."

"I don't have a problem with a smaller room," Jack said.

"I'd be perfectly fine sleeping on the couch if I had to," Logan added.

"Well, I'll let you two get settled," Rachel said, turning to Quinn. "I guess this is our room."

Rachel opened the door to reveal a bedroom that looked a lot like the rest of the house. It was light and breezy, decorated in white and

pale blue, and had large windows on two of the walls that overlooked the beach.

"I apologize again for having to share a room," Rachel said as Quinn set her suitcase down next to the door, and walked to the window to look at the view. "It didn't occur to me that Jack and Logan wouldn't be comfortable sharing a room until after I had rented the house. If I'd realized, I would have looked for a house with five bedrooms."

Quinn shrugged. "It's fine."

The thought of sharing a bed with Rachel was a little weird, but considering it was a king sized bed, it wasn't as if she expected to wake up in the middle of the night with Rachel wrapped around her or anything. And if things got too awkward, she knew she could always sleep on the couch.

They had both seen the look of apprehension on Jack's face when Rachel had mentioned him sharing a room with his boyfriend, so Rachel had quickly discussed changing the sleeping arrangements. It had become clear that Jack and Logan weren't at that point in their relationship yet, and rather than make things weird for them, Rachel had asked if Quinn would mind sharing the room instead. Figuring it would be less awkward for them, Quinn had agreed.

"This view is amazing," Rachel commented.

"Yeah," Quinn agreed.

"Just so you know, we do have a private bath," Rachel said, motioning toward the door next to the bed. "And not that either of us really need it considering we're going to be here less than a week, but there's a walk in closet."

Quinn hummed in acknowledgement as she turned away from the window. She glanced around the room and immediately felt at ease there. It was smaller than the house she grew up in, but her parents' house was drab in comparison. She much preferred the lighter colored wood furniture that adorned the room over the dark ones her father had insisted on.

"I should probably go get my bags," Rachel said, giving Quinn a small smile before turning to leave the room.

"Rachel?" Quinn called out just as the brunette walked out the door.

"Yes?" she asked, popping her head back in.

"Which side of the bed do you sleep on?" Quinn asked.

"I usually sleep on the right side," Rachel answered. "Why? Which side do you prefer?"

"The left," Quinn replied.

"I guess that works out nicely for us, doesn't it?" Rachel asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Quinn softly replied. "I guess so."

* * *

"I think a toast is in order," Jack said, holding up his beer. "To Rachel, for giving us this awesome vacation."

There was a chorus of agreement and Rachel beamed at everyone. Rachel was usually a happy person, but Quinn didn't think she'd seen her as happy as she'd been in the past day and a half. It was clear that she loved being around so many people who actually seemed to like her. Even Santana had dropped some of the snark since arriving at the beach house.

"It's my pleasure," Rachel replied, ducking her head once the clinking of the glasses had died down.

"It's too bad we can't do this every year," Jack remarked.

"Why can't we?" Rachel asked.

"We can, but you're letting me pay my share next time," Quinn replied.

"Ditto," Jack added. "I hate feeling like a mooch."

"Speak for yourself," Santana replied. "If moneybags here wants to pay for it, let her."

Quinn rolled her eyes, but before she could say anything, Rachel was saying, "I don't mind at all."

"You know people will still come even if they pay their share, right?" Quinn asked.

"I really don't mind, Quinn," Rachel replied, giving her a nonchalant shrug. "It's actually my fathers' money, and if they're going to try to bribe me with money to make themselves feel less bad about neglecting their daughter, I'm going to make the most of it." Quinn's eyebrow rose and Rachel looked over at her. "What?"

"Nothing," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"I'm just saying that I'm not going to turn it down," Rachel replied. "They're obviously never going to be the attentive parents I wish they would be. At least this way I can—make my own family, I suppose. As I said before, I enjoy being able to treat people to things like this if I have the means, which I do."

"Can we all go to the beach in the morning?" Brittany asked.

"Of course," Rachel answered.

"I want to go find seashells before everyone else comes and gets them," Brittany added.

"We can get up early and collect seashells," Santana said, putting her arms around Brittany's shoulders.

"Yes, it sounds like fun," Rachel replied.

"I think sleeping in sounds like more fun," Jack replied.

"Maybe Jack and I can stay behind and make breakfast," Logan offered.

Jack scoffed. "Only if you want the house to burn down."

"Maybe Jack and I can stay behind and _I_ can make breakfast," Logan amended.

"I didn't know you could cook," Jack said, looking at his boyfriend.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," Logan replied, smiling.

"Yet," Jack said.

"Can you two just get a room already?" Santana asked. "Take Quinn and Rachel's since it doesn't seem like they're going to do it anytime soon."

Quinn closed her eyes, willing herself not to lunge across the table. Rachel, on the other hand, simply laughed. Quinn didn't have to look at them to know Jack and Logan were probably just as embarrassed as she was.

"What are we doing after dinner?" Brittany asked, and half of the table breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"That's up to the group," Rachel replied. "Although, I was kind of hoping we could go to the ice cream parlor that's just down the street. And then maybe watch the sun set from the beach?"

"That sounds perfect," Logan chimed in.

"Of course, if you want to do something else, we can always split up," Rachel said. "Nothing says we have to stay together the whole time we're here."

"No, that sounds like fun," Brittany replied. "Right, San?"

"I guess," Santana said.

"Quinn?" Rachel asked, turning toward her.

Quinn shrugged. "I'll do whatever you want to do."

"Already whipped," Santana remarked with a smirk.

"I am going to kill you," Quinn threatened, glaring across the table.

"Sure," Santana said, raising her eyebrows, silently challenging Quinn.

"You're not going to kill her in public," Rachel said, surprising Quinn when she reached under the table and squeezed her hand. "I would also prefer for the death to not take place in the rental house. I would like to get my deposit back, and I don't know if that would happen if a death were to take place in it."

"And it would kind of spoil the vacation," Jack added. "I'd rather spend the time on the beach rather than at the police station answering questions."

"So, it's settled," Rachel said. "Quinn will kill Santana when we get home, not here."

Quinn rolled her eyes and fought the smile that tugged at her lips. Rachel seemed to notice her slight smile, though, and smiled back at her, giving her hand another squeeze before letting it go.

* * *

"I think I'm going to see how the water feels," Rachel said, standing up, and folding up her towel, which she set on her lounge chair. "Would either of you like to join me?"

"Nah, I'm good here," Jack replied.

"What he said," Quinn said.

Rachel nodded and put her sunglasses on top of her head. "Alright. I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't let anyone steal my seat."

Quinn couldn't help watching as Rachel walked across the sand, passing Brittany and Santana, who were working on a rather elaborate sandcastle. The brunette was in the green bikini she'd asked her opinion on, and Quinn had been right. It was incredibly revealing, barely covering the essentials. Not that the maroon one had been much better, but Quinn had nearly choked on her orange juice when Rachel had walked into the kitchen wearing the green bikini that morning.

"I saw that," Jack stated.

"Saw what?" Quinn asked.

"You checking her out," Jack replied.

"I have sunglasses on," Quinn said, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice.

"That doesn't mean I didn't see it," Jack said with a laugh.

Quinn rolled her eyes.

"I saw that, too," Jack said. "And don't start quoting Goblin Market on me. I was just making an observation. And I understand it; even as a gay male, I can appreciate an attractive woman. Of course, it's nothing compared to that."

Quinn followed his gaze and found Logan walking up the beach in nothing but a pair of shorts, showing off his toned body. Quinn would admit that Logan was attractive, but she didn't know if she would agree that he looked better than Rachel. He was actually quite pale, even paler than her, and Quinn had never been very attracted to blondes.

"I guess that's what happens when you dance a lot," Quinn remarked.

"Here's to them never stopping then," Jack said, holding up his bottle of water before taking a drink.

Quinn glanced at Rachel again, who was standing just far enough in the water for the waves to cover her feet. Quinn doubted she would go out any further; when Brittany said she was going swimming, Rachel began lecturing her about sharks and riptides and jellyfish. She had no idea if this area of the beach actually had any of those things, but she doubted Rachel was going to risk it. The brunette had vigilantly watched Brittany the whole time she was in the water, clearly afraid the worst was going to happen.

"She seems happy," Jack commented.

"Who seems happy?" Logan asked, dropping down in the sand next to Jack.

"Rachel," Jack replied.

Quinn knew this whole trip was probably a dream come true for Rachel. She had obviously been desperate to have friends for a long time, and now she had them. Or at least she had Quinn's friends. She seemed to rapidly be becoming friends with Jack and Brittany, though, much to Santana's dismay.

"Did you have fun walking up the beach?" Jack asked Logan.

"Yeah, I actually came back to see if you wanted to come," Logan said. "There's an ice cream vendor up the beach. You guys wanna go?"

"Yeah, sure," Jack replied.

"No, thanks," Quinn said.

"You sure?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "I'm going to stay here."

Jack nodded. "Can you—"

"Watch your stuff?" Quinn finished for him. "Yeah."

"Thanks," Jack said, smiling at her. "You want us to bring you back anything?"

Quinn shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Alright," Jack said as he stood up. "We'll be back."

"Where is everyone going?" Rachel asked, walking up to her a minute later.

"To get ice cream," Quinn answered.

"Oh," Rachel said, moving her towel out of her chair, and sitting down.

"How's the water?" Quinn asked.

"Chilly," Rachel replied. "I don't understand how Brittany managed to stay in so long yesterday."

"I've seen her do worse," Quinn said with a slight smile. "Our cheerleading coach thought we were getting too soft so she made us camp in the snow. Brittany decided to go swimming in the lake."

"In winter?" Rachel asked.

Quinn nodded. "The lake was partially frozen over."

"She's lucky she didn't get hypothermia," Rachel remarked. "That could have been very dangerous." She shook her head. "With the things you've told me about your cheerleading coach, I'm beginning to think she wasn't fit to be around teenagers."

"Oh, I have no doubt she isn't," Quinn replied. "She's probably only gotten worse since we graduated. I can only imagine what she did when she lost Nationals for the first time in ten years."

"She's still at the school?" Rachel asked, frowning.

"She's principal now," Quinn replied.

Rachel shook her head. "I don't think I wouldt have liked going to your high school very much."

"Probably not," Quinn agreed.

* * *

"Anyone else want a beer?" Jack asked, tossing one to Logan.

Santana held up her empty bottle and Jack grabbed another, handing it to her. Quinn's drink was nearly empty, but she wasn't one for beer. Rachel and Brittany seemed to agree with her, both of their faces scrunching up in disgust when Jack asked if they wanted one.

"Who has the marshmallows?" Brittany asked, pulling her stick back to reveal her current one on fire.

"Here, B," Santana said, handing her the bag.

"I'm going to go get another drink," Quinn said to no one in particular before standing up.

She walked toward the house, leaving everyone else sitting around the fire pit. They had been sitting around it since the sun had begun to set, agreeing to take it easy that evening since they had gone out the previous three. So, after a dinner cooked by Rachel with some help from Logan and Brittany, they had all headed to the backyard to drink—Santana's idea—and roast marshmallows—Brittany and Rachel's suggestion.

When she walked into the house, she made a detour to use the bathroom before finally heading into the kitchen. She could hear Jack and Brittany laughing outside as she opened the freezer and pulled out the bag of ice Logan and Jack had run to the nearest store to get.

"Do we need more ice?" Rachel asked, opening the sliding glass door, and walking into the house.

"Not if everyone else is going to drink beer all night," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded. "What are you making?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Quinn replied.

Rachel smiled, walking into the kitchen, and stopping next to Quinn. "I've noticed vodka seems to be your favorite."

Quinn shrugged. "I guess."

"I'm surprised you're drinking at all," Rachel remarked. "I thought you hated the taste."

"I do," Quinn replied, offering the bottle to Rachel.

Rachel shook her head. "No, thank you. I think I've had enough alcohol in my system this year. I would rather not make a fool of myself in front of so many people."

"But it's fine when it's just me?" Quinn asked, cocking her eyebrow.

Rachel blushed. "I should probably apologize for my behavior that night."

"I don't know; it was kind of cute," Quinn replied.

Rachel ducked her head, and Quinn had a feeling she was probably blushing even more. "Be that as it may, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Quinn replied, pouring some cranberry juice into her glass.

"So, are you having fun here?" Rachel asked, jumping up to sit on the counter.

"Yeah," Quinn said, shrugging. "It's nice here."

"I'm really glad everyone agreed to come," Rachel said, smiling. "Although, I'll admit I would have been happy as long as you came along."

"Really?" Quinn asked.

"I-I just mean—"

"I know what you mean," Quinn interrupted.

Rachel averted her eyes, looking down at the floor, and Quinn glanced down at their hands, which were nearly touching on the counter. When she looked back up, Rachel was looking at her again with a soft smile on her face, and Quinn thought for a moment that Rachel was going to lean in, but she remained where she was.

"So, I was thinking about what we could do tomorrow," Rachel said, putting her hands in her lap, and staring at them. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Why don't we worry about it tomorrow?" Quinn asked.

Rachel nodded. "Alright."

"Let's just have fun tonight," Quinn added.

Rachel smiled. "I think I can handle that."

Quinn hummed and picked up her drink, taking a sip. "We should probably get back out there."

"You're right," Rachel said, jumping down from the counter.

Rachel stumbled for a moment, and Quinn reached out, putting her hand on Rachel's arm to steady her. Rachel smiled and ducked her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Thanks," Rachel said.

"You're welcome," Quinn softly replied.

"Do you think we should take Brittany a drink?" Rachel asked, glancing toward the counter.

"She can come in if she wants one," Quinn replied. "Or send Santana in."

Rachel nodded. "Alright."

Rachel gave her a smile, and then turned to walk away, but Quinn reached out again and grabbed her hand. "Wait."

"Yes?" Rachel replied.

"Do you want to take a walk?" Quinn asked, releasing Rachel's hand, and clasping hers together.

"Right now?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn said, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious. "I just thought—it's kind of hard to see the stars in the city and it might be nice."

"I would love that, Quinn," Rachel said, smiling. "Should we ask the others if they would like to join us?"

Quinn shrugged. "If you want."

Rachel paused for a moment and then said, "They sound happy out there; I'm sure they won't miss us very much."

* * *

"I can't believe we have to leave tomorrow," Jack said as he looked around the street.

"I do wish we could have stayed longer," Rachel replied.

"Maybe we can," Jack said. "Who needs to go back to New York? We can just sleep on the beach."

Rachel laughed. "As fun as that sounds, I don't think the local authorities or the tourism commission would appreciate having us there."

"Too bad," Jack replied. "I guess that means I need to go pack up my stuff."

"That would probably be a good idea," Logan said. "Why don't we head back to the house?"

"Me and Britt are going to go to the beach," Santana said when Brittany whispered something into her ear.

"I think I'm going to continue walking," Rachel replied, looking over at Quinn. "Would you like to join me or are you going to go back to the house as well?"

Quinn shrugged. "Okay."

"I guess we'll see you all back at the house," Rachel said, looking to the rest of the group, and smiling.

Jack and Logan both turned around and began walking back the way they came while Brittany and Santana crossed the road. Once the two girls were out of sight, Quinn glanced at Rachel and then continued walking down the sidewalk, looking at the storefronts as they weaved their way through the other groups of tourists.

"It really is a shame that we have to leave tomorrow," Rachel commented after a few minutes.

Quinn hummed in agreement. The town was so different than the city she'd called home for the past three years, and she'd enjoyed the change of pace. People were much more laid back and friendly, which was something she had missed when moving to the city. It actually reminded her a bit of Lima in a way, except she actually liked it here.

"We should definitely do this again," Rachel said, glancing at her. "Maybe next summer? Or maybe we could even go somewhere else. I've always wanted to travel more, but it's just not as much fun when you're doing it alone."

"Maybe," Quinn replied.

"Quinn?" Rachel said after a few moments.

"Yeah?" Quinn asked.

"I—" Rachel paused, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.

"What?" Quinn asked as she stopped and turned to look at Rachel.

"Never mind," Rachel replied, shaking her head. "It's not important." Rachel smiled and began walking again. "You know, I think Brittany and Santana had the right idea. A walk on the beach sounds nice right now."

"Let's go, then," Quinn softly said.

Quinn and Rachel crossed the street at the next crosswalk and began walking toward the beach in silence. It was slightly cloudy out, but the moon was still shining brightly, allowing them to see where they were going even when there were no longer streetlamps above them.

"Wait a moment," Rachel said a few moments after stepping onto the sand.

Rachel put her hand on Quinn's arm to keep herself steady as she reached down and took her shoes off. Quinn was happy she had decided to wear flats or she would've had to have taken hers off as well, and she'd decided on her first walk down the beach that she didn't really like the feeling of sand between her toes.

"Okay," Rachel said, releasing Quinn's arm, and smiling at her.

They began walking down the beach, which wasn't as deserted as Quinn would have expected. It was Saturday night and everything had been considerably more crowded all day, though.

"It's so beautiful here," Rachel commented.

"Yeah," Quinn said, glancing over at Rachel. "It is."

"I can't tell you how happy I am that you came," Rachel said, looking up at her. "I'm really happy we're friends, Quinn."

"Are you?" Quinn asked, stopping, and turning toward Rachel.

"Of course," Rachel said, furrowing her brows. "Why would you ask that?"

Quinn shook her head; she didn't even really know what she was asking. Did she want confirmation that Rachel wanted to be more than just her friend?

"Are you alright, Quinn?" Rachel asked, looking at her in concern.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

"Because if you're not, we could go back to the house," Rachel offered.

"I'm fine," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"Okay," Rachel replied. "If you change your mind, let me know."

Quinn gave a slight nod and then reached out when Rachel started to turn away.

"What is it?" Rachel asked. "Did you change your mind?"

"No," Quinn replied.

Before she could change her mind about what she was really thinking about, Quinn leaned forward. She hesitated for only a moment, glancing into Rachel's eyes, before bringing their lips together.

The kiss was short, because a few seconds later, Quinn pulled away. Rachel was staring at her with a look of shock, and Quinn wondered if she'd just made a huge mistake. Slowly, though, the look of surprise seemed to wear off, and a smile began to form. But just as she was about to lean in again, a voice said, "What are you two doing here?"

Quinn jumped at the sound of Santana's voice and said, "Nothing."

"We decided a walk on the beach sounded nice," Rachel answered, glancing at Quinn.

"Well, then, are you two coming?" Santana asked, and before either of them could give her an answer, she had turned and was already walking toward Brittany, who was standing near the water.

"I guess we should go," Rachel said, looking disappointed.

Quinn sighed. "I guess so."


	23. I Like You

**Chapter 23 – I Like You**

Quinn took a sip of her coffee and then turned her head, pulling out one of the books for a moment before pushing it back. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she was hoping something would eventually catch her eye. The summer was one of the few times she got to read for pleasure, and even though she had quite a few books at home, she'd gone to the library to see if there was anything she wanted to check out.

"You just can't stay away, can you?"

"What are you doing here?" Quinn asked, not needing to look up to know that Jack was behind her.

"What's it look like?" Jack asked.

Quinn looked over her shoulder and found Jack standing there with a book truck filled to the brim. "Are you working here?"

"Yeah," Jack replied. "I applied for a summer work-study and they finally awarded it to me on Monday. So, I'm working here over the summer."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Quinn commented.

"It's kinda boring, but whatever," Jack replied. "At least I'm not flipping burgers or something. Been there, done that, and I never want to do it again. I thought I was going to have to throw some fries in this jackass's face one time."

"Sounds fun," Quinn said.

"Oh, yeah, a ton," Jack replied with a laugh. "So, what are you doing here? Thought you'd get a jump on next semester's reading?"

Quinn shrugged. "I thought it would be nice to get out of the apartment."

"Does this have to do with how you and Rachel barely spoke two words to each other the whole ride back on Sunday?" Jack asked.

Quinn sighed, pausing for a moment, but then began skimming over the book titles once again. "I kissed Rachel."

"Are you—wait, what?" Jack asked.

"I kissed Rachel," Quinn repeated.

"Seriously?" Jack asked. "When?"

"The last night we were there," Quinn said, turning around. "After you and Logan went back to the house, Rachel and I ended up going to the beach. I just—I kissed her."

"Well?" Jack asked.

Quinn sighed. "Well what?"

"Well, what happened after that?" Jack wondered.

"Santana happened after that," Quinn replied, rolling her eyes at the thought. "I don't think she saw the kiss or I never would have heard the end of it, but she saw us and came over."

"You two talked about it, though, right?" Jack asked. "You know, like, when you got back to the house."

"No," Quinn said, looking down. "Neither of us have brought it up."

"Seriously?" Jack asked. "You kiss her and then you don't even talk to her about it?"

"I didn't know what to say," Quinn admitted.

"Uh, how about 'I like you'," Jack replied.

Quinn rolled her eyes again. "It's not that easy."

"Why not?" Jack asked, shaking his head. "And I can't believe Rachel hasn't brought it up."

"I know," Quinn replied. "She likes to talk about everything, but she hasn't said a word about it." Quinn ran her hand through her hair as she shook her head. "It's been three days and she hasn't said anything about it."

It wasn't like Rachel to remain silent about things, especially something so huge, and it was worrying Quinn. She felt like she was walking on eggshells around Rachel, trying not to say or do anything stupid. Rachel, on the other hand, was acting as if nothing had happened. She had expected Rachel to bring up the kiss the moment they'd gotten back to the beach house, but Rachel had gotten ready for bed without a word about it.

"Maybe she's afraid that you regret it so she's waiting for _you_ to say something," Jack suggested.

The thought had crossed Quinn's mind, but the longer they didn't talk about it, the harder it was to bring it up. Things were already awkward enough; she didn't want to make it even worse. Of course, she didn't know which would make things more awkward: talking about the kiss or continuing to remain silent about it.

"You seriously need to talk to her," Jack added.

"I told you, I don't know what to say," Quinn replied.

"Why not?" Jack asked. "She likes you and you like her. Right?"

"it's a little more complicated than that," Quinn said, shaking her head.

"Only because you're making it more complicated," Jack argued. "Look, it's not like you're declaring your love for her or anything. Just tell her you're attracted to her and you want to see where it goes."

Quinn knew Jack was right—she and Rachel were going to have to talk about it eventually—but that didn't mean she couldn't remain in denial for a little longer. She was still afraid of hurting Rachel, and even though she wouldn't admit it aloud, she was a little afraid of getting hurt herself.

* * *

Quinn glanced up as Rachel walked into the kitchen and then looked back down at her newspaper. She couldn't help noticing that Rachel looked tired despite sleeping in an hour later than she usually did. Quinn, however, had gotten up earlier than usual and had already been to Starbucks, the newspaper stand, and had even taken a walk around the park.

"Are you looking at job ads?" Rachel asked, glancing at Quinn as she poured herself a glass of orange juice.

"Apartments, actually," Quinn replied.

"Oh," Rachel said, frowning. "I didn't know you were looking yet."

"I thought I would see how many apartments are in my price range and how far away from school they are," Quinn replied. "I thought I should probably start looking since I'll be moving in a month."

Rachel pursed her lips together but didn't say anything. Not that she really needed to; her face said it all. It was the look Rachel got every time Quinn brought up the fact that her staying there was only temporary. She didn't know what Rachel expected, though; she was the one who had the contract drawn up and had made it clear that she only invited people to live in the apartment for six months.

"Have you found any suitable options?" Rachel asked.

"Not really," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded. "I'm afraid New York isn't known for it's large, affordable, conveniently located apartments."

"You're telling me," Quinn said, astonished at how much some people were asking just to have to share a room with someone else.

Rachel sipped at her orange juice, remaining silent while glancing at Quinn once or twice. Quinn saw the looks out of the corner of her eye but chose to ignore it as she drew an X through several of the apartment ads.

"Are we ever going to talk about what happened Saturday night?" Rachel quietly asked.

Quinn froze, her pen hovering just above the newspaper. She was beginning to think Rachel was never going to bring it up, but she knew she should have known better; there was no way Rachel could have let something like that go. It seemed like Rachel had held it in long enough, and now she was looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to say something.

"What do you want me to say?" Quinn asked.

"I guess you don't have to say anything," Rachel replied. "But I need to say something."

"Okay," Quinn said, setting her paper down.

"I like you, Quinn," Rachel stated. "But I think you already know that. I don't know why you kissed me, but judging by how you haven't spoken of it since it happened, I can only assume you think it was a mistake."

"Rachel—"

"Wait," Rachel said, holding up her hand to silence Quinn. "I just want you to know that you don't need to feel uncomfortable. I promise I will never bring this up again, and I can certainly assure you that I can keep my feelings for you in check. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable living here, Quinn, and if there's anything I can do or not do, don't hesitate to tell me. "

"Okay," Quinn found herself saying even though there were a hundred other things she wanted to say.

"Okay," Rachel said with a nod.

Rachel began walking away and Quinn wanted to call after her, but her voice seemed to be stuck in her throat. So Jack had been right. Rachel did think she had regretted it, and now she was afraid Quinn was going to be uncomfortable living there because of it. Rachel hadn't even asked for an explanation as to why she had kissed her, which Quinn was sure would have been the first thing she would have asked.

"Oh, I forgot to mention," Rachel said, turning back to Quinn. "The Hamiltons, the owners of the beach house, emailed me last night. They told me that they found what looked like a camera battery in between the couch cushions and a hair straightener. They didn't specify where they found the straightener. Can you let everyone else know? They would like to know if one of us left them or if it may have been the previous renters."

"Um, yeah," Quinn said with a frown.

She had really thought Rachel was going to say something else about the kiss, but it seemed like Rachel was going to stick to her word and never bring it up again.

"Thank you," Rachel replied. "And if they do belong to one of our party, would you ask them if they would prefer for the Hamiltons send it their address or if they would just like it sent here for them to pick up later?"

"Yeah," Quinn said. "I can do that."

Rachel gave her a smile. "Thank you, Quinn."

"You're welcome," Quinn replied.

* * *

Quinn tossed her book to the end of the couch with a groan. She realized she had read the same paragraph at least three times and she still had no idea what it had said. She was far too distracted, and no matter how hard she tried to focus, it didn't seem to do any good. Her mind was everywhere but on the book she was reading.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked.

"I'm fine," Quinn replied in annoyance.

Rachel didn't look convinced, but she didn't push. Instead, she went back to the magazine she was reading with a slight purse of her lips.

Quinn wanted to tell Rachel that this was all her fault, but she fought the urge to say so. Since Rachel had finally acknowledged the kiss the previous day, it had been on Quinn's mind even more than before. She didn't get how Rachel had just dismissed it so easily, not even asking Quinn how she felt about it, just assuming Quinn felt like she'd made a mistake.

Several times, Quinn had nearly brought it up again, but something had stopped her every time. Quinn hated talking about her feelings, especially to those they actually involved. Talking to Jack or Brittany about it was one thing, but actually talking to Rachel about it was a whole other thing. Quinn was used to keeping her feelings to herself and shutting people out was her default mode. She was getting better, but it still wasn't easy to open up sometimes, and this was definitely one of those times.

"Did you ever ask everyone about the battery and hair straightener?" Rachel asked after a while, her eyes staying focused on her magazine.

"Jack said it isn't his and Brittany hasn't answered," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded and fell silent again. Quinn sighed to herself as she laid her head back on the arm of the chair, staring up at the ceiling rather than glancing at Rachel every few minutes.

Part of Quinn wished she'd never realized Rachel liked her. It would have been much easier to stay in denial about her own feelings if she didn't know there was a possibility that something could happen with them. She could have ignored the way her heart pounded in her chest every time Rachel casually touched her arm or how she couldn't help smiling whenever Rachel began to rant about something she was passionate about. Or how she always found herself watching Rachel until she was out of any room because she couldn't seem to keep her eyes off the brunette.

She had deliberately ignored her attraction to Rachel, hoping it would go away or that she would eventually realize she was wrong about it and that she'd never felt anything for Rachel. But that didn't seem like it was going to happen now. Now, she had to deal with it, and she had to figure out what she was going to do about it, if anything.

Considering her track record, the likelihood of hurting Rachel was high, and that was the last thing she wanted to do. She really didn't have a lot of friends, and Rachel had even less, so the thought of screwing everything up for something that may or may not work out was making her apprehensive. Plus, they still had to live together for the next month, and what if everything crashed and burned while she was still there? It was one thing to get hurt by someone, but it was another thing to still have to see them every day. Would Rachel still let her live there or would she ask her to leave?

"Would it bother you too much if I were to turn the television on?" Rachel asked.

"Yes, it would greatly bother my lying here," Quinn deadpanned.

"Smartass," Rachel replied.

Quinn looked up, giving her a wry smile. "Did you really just say that?"

"Yes, I did," Rachel replied. "I thought it was appropriate."

Quinn laughed lightly and shook her head as she laid it back on the couch. "No, I don't care."

"I assume you're not enjoying your book," Rachel remarked as she picked up the remote control.

"You've been doing that a lot," Quinn replied.

"Doing what a lot?" Rachel asked.

"Nothing," Quinn replied. "The book's fine. I guess I'm just not in the mood to read."

"Are you in the mood to watch a movie?" Rachel asked. "If you are, I'll let you choose the movie since I'm not feeling very picky today."

Quinn gave a noncommittal shrug and Rachel tossed her the remote, which she caught just before it smacked her in the face.

"My only request is that you don't pick anything too depressing," Rachel said. "It doesn't have to be upbeat, just not—"

"Depressing," Quinn said for her. "I think I can do that."

* * *

"Okay, not that I care, but what the hell is with you, Q?" Santana asked.

Quinn's eyebrow rose; she couldn't remember the last time Santana had called her that. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Like hell you don't," Santana retorted.

Brittany put her hand over her girlfriend's. "I think Santana is just wondering why you've been so—"

"It's like you're some spazzy high school nerd," Santana interrupted. "You've even making me uncomfortable."

"You are being a little weird," Brittany said. "And not like how you were being weird before."

"You remind me of Finnept," Santana added.

Quinn scoffed. "How the hell do I remind you of Finn Hudson?"

"Do you remember before he asked you out?" Santana asked. "He was always knocking things over and slobbering all over himself. You're like that."

"She's not like that," Brittany argued, frowning at Santana before looking at Quinn again.

"Whatever," Santana said, rolling her eyes

"You're both crazy," Quinn replied.

She knew exactly what they were talking about, though. She didn't know why, but she'd been on edge all day, which was only making things even more awkward between her and Rachel. Thankfully, or maybe not so thankfully, Brittany and Santana had dropped by, which had taken some of the focus away from her. Of course, that also meant there were two other people there to witness Quinn's less than graceful behavior.

"Lunch is ordered and should be here around one," Rachel said, walking back into the living room from the kitchen. "Unfortunately, they were out of apple pie, but they did have peach cobbler, so I ordered that instead. I hope you don't mind."

Brittany shook her head and smiled. "That's actually better."

"Great," Rachel said, smiling. "So, what are we talking about?"

"Qui—"

"Nothing," Quinn and Brittany both interrupted.

"Okay," Rachel said, furrowing her brows in confusion. Or maybe it was skepticism. "Should I go?"

"What?" Quinn asked.

"Well, it's obvious that whatever you were talking about, you'd rather not talk about in front of me," Rachel replied, glancing at Quinn as if she knew what they were probably talking about.

"It really was nothing," Santana said, much to Quinn's surprise.

"Are you certain?" Rachel asked, looking at Quinn for confirmation.

"Stay," Quinn said.

As they sat there in silence, Quinn was beginning to think they should have gone out for lunch rather than staying in. At least it would have given them something to do.

"Well, this is weird," Santana said after a few moments.

Rachel laughed. "A little."

"We could play a game," Brittany suggested.

"I'm afraid I don't have many games here," Rachel replied. "Although, if you would like to give me a list of suggestions, I would happily purchase some for future gatherings."

"I know a game," Santana said with a smirk.

"No," Quinn said, pointing at the other woman.

"You don't even know what I was going to say," Santana said, narrowing her eyes at Quinn.

"It doesn't matter," Quinn replied. "No Truth or Dare, no Never Have I Ever, or whatever else you were going to suggest."

Santana crossed her arms over her chest, and Quinn had no doubt that she was going to suggest one of the two. She loved playing the most embarrassing game possible, and Quinn definitely wasn't in the mood for it. Santana knew far too much about her, and she would rather not rehash it all in front of Rachel.

"Maybe we could just get to know each other a little better," Rachel suggested. "I mean, I know you three already know each other quite well, but I don't."

"What do you want to know?" Brittany asked, shrugging.

"I don't know," Rachel said, looking away as if she was thinking, and then looking back at the other three. "What was Quinn like in high school."

"Q, here, was a bitch," Santana answered.

"Speak for yourself," Quinn replied, rolling her eyes.

"They were both," Brittany glanced at her girlfriend and then Quinn, "a little competitive. They both wanted to be head Cheerio and the most popular, so they didn't always let people see the real them. San didn't want anyone to know she loved me and Quinn was afraid everyone would find out that she also liked girls."

Rachel looked over at Quinn, who ran her hand through her hair with a sigh.

"They both did a lot of things because they were afraid," Brittany continued. "They're a lot alike even if they won't say it. They both like to run away or just pretend nothing's wrong whenever they're scared of things."

"How about we watch a movie?" Santana asked the moment Brittany stopped talking.

"Sounds good to me," Quinn answered.

"See what I mean?" Brittany asked when the two stood up.

Quinn narrowed her eyes, which only caused Rachel to let out a light laugh. Brittany, on the other hand, looked completely unaffected by it, but that was nothing new.

"A movie sounds fine," Rachel said, standing, and giving Quinn a smile as she passed by. "I'll make some popcorn to tide us over until lunch arrives."

* * *

"Hi, mom," Quinn said, reluctantly answering her phone.

"Hi, dear," Judy replied. "I wondered if you were going to answer your phone. You know, you really should carry it around with you. What is the point in having it if no one can ever get a hold of you?"

"I'll keep that in mind," Quinn said, rolling her eyes.

"I tried calling you twice last week, but you never answered," Judy added.

"Yeah, I was kind of busy last week," Quinn said. "Rachel rented a beach house in Cape Cod, so a few of us went down there."

"Oh, well, that sounds nice, dear," Judy replied. "Did you have a good time?"

"Yeah, it was nice," Quinn said, smiling to herself.

"That's nice," Judy replied. "Well, the reason I was calling was because I have some good news! Your sister called last night and guess what?"

"What?" Quinn asked, not in the mood to guess.

"Frannie and Ian are expecting!" Judy said, and Quinn could practically see her jumping up and down.

"Tell them 'congratulations' the next time you talk to them," Quinn said, unable to muster up more than a slight smile.

"Don't you think you should call them yourself?" Judy asked. "Honestly, Quinn, I don't understand why you don't talk to your sister more. She said she hasn't spoken to you in two years."

"I guess we're both just busy," Quinn replied.

There was a light knock on her door. "Quinn?"

"Hold on, mom," Quinn said. "Yeah?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm going out," Rachel said, opening the door. "I probably won't be back until tonight."

Before Quinn could tell Rachel to wait, she'd already closed the door behind her.

"Mom, I have to go," Quinn rushed out.

"But, Quinnie—"

"I need to talk to Rachel before she goes," Quinn interrupted. "I'll call you later."

Judy sighed. "Alright. Goodbye."

The only reason Quinn had picked up the phone was because she was putting off talking to Rachel, but now that Rachel was planning on being out the rest of the day, she knew she couldn't delay it any longer. She may have been avoiding the conversation, but she definitely didn't want to put it off for another day. She was already nervous enough; it would only get worse if she had the next twenty-four hours to keep thinking about it.

"Rachel, wait," Quinn said as soon as she walked out of her bedroom.

"Is everything alright, Quinn?" Rachel asked, furrowing her brows in concern.

"Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you about something," Quinn replied.

"This sounds ominous," Rachel commented, setting her bag onto the island, and giving Quinn her full attention.

"It's nothing bad," Quinn quickly said. "It's just—" Quinn sighed. "This went much better in my head."

"You've been rehearsing this conversation?" Rachel asked.

Quinn felt herself blushing and she quickly looked away. She had been rehearsing the conversation in her head, but she wasn't going to actually admit it out loud.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Rachel asked, mercifully not commending on Quinn's embarrassment.

"You—you told me the other day that you could keep your feelings in check and that you'd never bring up the kiss again," Quinn said, taking the last few steps toward the island.

"Yes, I did," Rachel replied.

"What if—" Quinn licked her lips which were suddenly feeling very dry, "what if I don't want you to?"

"You want to talk about it?" Rachel asked.

"Brittany was right when she said I like to run away from things that scare me," Quinn stated. "I'm afraid one of us will get hurt, so ever since I realized you like me, I've been trying to do everything I can to talk myself out of this."

"Are you afraid that you're going to hurt me or that I'm going to hurt you?" Rachel asked.

"Both," Quinn replied. "I haven't had the best history with relationships and I don't want to screw this up. I've never been friends with someone before dating them, so I've never had to worry about screwing up a friendship if things don't work out."

"Quinn, that's the last thing I want," Rachel said, shaking her head, and walking around the island. "You're the best friend I've ever had, and I don't want anything to mess that up either, but that doesn't mean I'm afraid to take a chance."

Quinn took a deep breath and then nodded before saying, "I like you, Rachel, and I'm sorry if I've been acting so weird for the past few weeks because of it."

"You're forgiven," Rachel said, looking hopeful. "Does that mean you would be willing to see where things go?"

"Actually, I was hoping you would want to go on a date with me Friday night," Quinn replied.

"I would love that, Quinn," Rachel said with smile.


	24. Date

**Chapter 24 – Date**

"You and Rachel have a date?" Brittany asked, smiling.

"Yes," Quinn said, sighing. "What do I do?"

"Why are you asking me?" Brittany asked back.

"Because I don't know where to take her," Quinn replied, running her hand through her hair.

"You know her better than I do," Brittany said with a shrug.

It had been two days since she'd asked Rachel out, and she still had no idea what to do on their date. She wanted it to be nice, but she also didn't want it to be too extravagant since it was just their first date. She wanted to get this right since it was Rachel, but it was her first time ever being the one to actually plan the date and she had no idea what she was doing. She knew what she did and didn't like on dates, but she had no idea what Rachel would like.

"She loves musicals, right?" Brittany said after a few moments.

"Yeah," Quinn replied. "Do you think I should take her to a show? Because I'm pretty sure she's already seen them all."

Brittany frowned. "Okay, never mind. What about that art show San's been talking about."

"Rachel doesn't like museums," Quinn replied, shaking her head.

"San took me to the zoo on our first date, but I don't know if Rachel would like that," Brittany said, furrowing her brows in thought. "On our second date, I took San to Breadstix and then we had sex on the football field, but I don't think that helps very much."

"No," Quinn agreed.

Quinn picked up her latte and swirled it with her straw for a moment before taking a sip. She hadn't planned on telling Brittany about the date until after it had happened, but she was starting to feel desperate. She only had a few days left and she was no closer to figuring it out than when she'd asked Rachel. She'd already asked Jack and he'd been no more helpful than Brittany was being. Although, he had offered to see if he could get Logan to subtly ask Rachel what she liked to do on date. She'd declined the offer, but she was suddenly having seconds thoughts about that decision.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out," Brittany said, giving her a smile. "You're really smart."

Quinn sighed and shook her head. "Not about this."

"Rachel really likes you and I'm sure she'll be happy wherever you take her," Brittany reasoned.

Quinn knew it was probably true, but that didn't mean she didn't want to make it special. She knew Rachel had been on plenty of bad dates, and she guessed she wanted to make up for some of that even if she hadn't been the one to take Rachel on those bad dates. And maybe part of it was for her, too. She'd never really been on a particularly amazing date, and she was hoping this could be the one to change that. Of course, Rachel was bound to be better company than most of the people she'd gone out with in the past.

"Maybe San'll know what to do," Brittany said, shrugging.

"No!" Quinn immediately replied. "Don't tell her."

"Why not?" Brittany asked, frowning. "She'll be really happy."

"You mean she'll gloat," Quinn replied.

"A little, but I mean it," Brittany said. "She's been saying for months how she doesn't get why you and Rachel don't just do it already. She could tell you liked each other even if you two couldn't see it."

"Just don't tell her, okay?" Quinn said. "I don't want her smirking at me the next time I have to see her."

She had no doubt that she would never hear the end of it once Santana found out. Santana loved to gloat when she was right about things, not to mention how she liked to pry into people's lives. She could only imagine the questions Santana would ask if she found out Quinn and Rachel had admitted they liked each other. And she imagined most of them would revolve around Quinn's sex life, which was not something she wanted to discuss. Ever.

"I need to go," Quinn said, looking at the time on her phone.

"Where are you going?" Brittany asked.

"I'm looking at an apartment," Quinn replied

"Already?" Brittany asked. "Isn't it a little soon."

Quinn shrugged. "I have to be out in a month and I want to see what's out there."

"So, you're really going to move?" Brittany asked.

"Why wouldn't I?" Quinn asked back.

"I don't know," Brittany replied. "I just thought Rachel would ask you to stay."

"Even if she did, I can't stay there," Quinn said. "I can't afford that place and I can't keep staying there rent free."

"I don't think Rachel would mind," Brittany replied.

"But I do," Quinn said as she stood up. "I've got to go."

"Okay," Brittany frowned, "text me later."

"I will," Quinn said, giving Brittany a small smile as she passed by.

* * *

"Long time no see," Shauna said when she glanced up and saw Quinn standing at the end of the aisle.

"I've been busy," Quinn replied, taking a few steps toward Shauna, and putting her hands behind her back.

"School's over, though, right?" Shauna asked, glancing over at her.

Quinn nodded. "Yeah. That's actually one of the reasons I'm here. I wanted to see if you guys were looking for any help for summer. I thought I would get a job, and where else better to work, right?"

"I was a little surprised you didn't take me up on it when I mentioned the last opening," Shauna remarked.

"It's just hard to work while school is going," Quinn explained. "This past semester was really busy; I don't know if I could have kept up with it and had a part time job."

"You didn't come to that poetry reading, either," Shauna said. "I'm beginning to think you're avoiding me."

"I was actually going to, but then Brittany showed up with Santana, and I thought I would spare everyone," Quinn replied.

"And the world thanks you for that," Shauna said.

Quinn laughed. "I thought so."

"You getting along better with that weird roommate of yours?" Shauna asked.

Quinn couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, a bit."

Shauna nodded and then leaned down and picked up a stack of books. "We may have an opening. Shelly's going on maternity leave in a few days, so we're going to be short staffed." Shauna tucked the books under her arm and looked at Quinn. "It would be mostly weekends, some evenings, and you may need to fill in through the week when people take vacation or call in sick."

"Sounds great," Quinn replied. "Don't I need to fill out an application?"

Shauna laughed. "Around here? No. You'll learn quickly that everyone's very relaxed about things around here. If you wait here, I'll let Lee know I've found someone to work for a few months. He may want to talk to you, but more than likely, he'll just tell you to come in this weekend and he'll sort everything then."

"Yeah, I can wait," Quinn said.

"I'll be right back," Shauna said, setting the books back in their box, which she moved to the side.

Quinn looked around as Shauna walked away, glancing at the box she'd been unpacking. Just as she was about to reach down and pick up one of the books, her phone started vibrating in her pocket. When she pulled it out, she found that Jack was calling, which was unusual for him since he was more the texting type.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey, you're not busy are you?" Jack asked.

"A little," Quinn replied, looking over her shoulder.

"I'll be quick, then," Jack said. "You know that thing you told me not to do?"

"What thing?" Quinn asked with a frown.

"You know, talking to Logan about Rachel," Jack explained.

Quinn closed her eyes, hoping this wasn't going where she thought it was going. "Yes."

"I kinda talked to him," Jack confessed. "But he didn't talk to her or anything like that! He just remembered something she'd said once and I thought it might help."

"And what's that?" Quinn wondered.

"He said that she once said she'd never been on a real date before," Jack relayed. "You know, like in the movies. She was complaining about how she always ends up at a club or bar. She said she'd rather do something simple on a first date where you can actually talk to the other person."

"She said that?" Quinn asked.

"That's what Logan said," Jack replied. "Does that help any?"

"Yeah, actually, it does," Quinn said. "I'd had something in mind, but I didn't know if she would like it. Now I'm thinking she may."

"So, what did you have in mind?" Jack asked.

"You'll find out after the date," Quinn replied.

"Not even a hint?" Jack asked.

"For the person who did what I told him not to?" Quinn asked back. "No."

Jack huffed. "Fine, but I wanna hear about it later."

"You will," Quinn replied.

"Okay, well, good luck on your date if I don't talk to you before then," Jack said.

"Thanks," Quinn replied with a light smile. "For both things."

"No problem," Jack said, laughing. "Later."

"So, can you start Sunday?"

Quinn quickly turned around to find Shauna walking toward her and asked, "This Sunday?"

"This Sunday," Shauna said with a nod.

"Yeah, sure," Quinn replied.

"Good," Shauna said with a smile. "Welcome aboard. Make sure you bring your ID and everything."

Quinn smiled back. "I can do that."

* * *

"There are so many people here," Rachel commented, looking around. "I hope we can get a good spot."

Quinn smiled to herself and said, "We will."

There were more people than she'd expected, but it didn't matter. She was determined for everything to go right on their date and she was fully prepared for anything. Or at least she hoped she was. She'd gone over everything with Jack, though, and unless he had somehow forgotten what he was supposed to do, everything should be just fine.

"I don't know," Rachel said, standing on her tippy toes, and looking around.

"Trust me," Quinn replied, grabbing Rachel's hand, and pulling her along.

"I think we'll be more likely to find seats if we go closer to the back," Rachel said.

"We already have seats," Quinn replied.

"But—what is Jack doing here?" Rachel asked, looking around and then finally down at Jack when they came to a stop.

"I'm just a placeholder," Jack said, jumping up from the blanket. "It's all yours."

"You did this?" Rachel asked, looking at Quinn with a smile.

"It was the only way to be able to pick you up," Quinn said, smiling back.

"Logan said he'll be here in fifteen minutes," Jack mumbled as he passed Quinn.

"Thank you," Quinn said, grateful to have had his help.

"It's no problem," Jack replied. "Have fun, you two."

Quinn let Rachel take her place on the blanket before taking off her shoes and joining her on it. The sun was beginning to set, so she knew it was only a matter of time before the movie began, which would be shown on the huge screen that had been set up in the middle of the park. It was something she had seen advertised every summer since she'd moved to New York, but it was the first time she'd ever actually gone to one of their 'Movie in the Park' events.

"How long was Jack waiting out here?" Rachel asked, removing her heels, and setting them at the edge of the blanket.

Quinn shrugged. "A bit."

He had actually been there for hours, but she wasn't going to tell Rachel that. They had met early that morning and she had shown him exactly where to set up the blanket. She would have done it herself but she had other things to take care of before the date, and he had been more than willing to help out.

"Do they sell popcorn at this?" Rachel asked, looking around.

"I'm sure they do," Quinn replied. "I'll get you some before the movie starts."

She doubted she would need to, but she didn't want to ruin the other part of the date. Not only had she gotten Jack to save the spot for them, but Logan was off getting their dinner. Quinn had called ahead that morning to one of Rachel's favorite restaurants and placed the order, which Logan was going to pick up. She'd thought about going to dinner before the movie, but having a picnic in the park seemed like more fun.

"There are pillows in the basket," Quinn said when she noticed Rachel looking around.

"It seems as if you've thought of everything." Rachel smiled. "You know, I've actually always wanted to go to this, but I never wanted to go alone. I tried to get my fathers to take me when I was little, but they were always too busy." She smiled again. "I think this is better, though. And I love Jaws. It terrified me as a child, but I still always wanted to watch it."

"Is that why you were so afraid of going into the ocean?" Quinn asked with a smirk.

"The ocean is not a safe place!" Rachel replied.

Quinn laughed. "I don't think I ever saw you go in past your ankles."

"I was simply being cautious," Rachel replied. "You never know what's out there."

"Like giant sharks?" Quinn asked.

"Among other things," Rachel replied with a shy smile.

"Maybe next time we can go in further," Quinn said.

Rachel shrugged. "Maybe."

"I've actually always wanted to try surfing," Quinn commented. "If we go again, I was thinking about trying it."

"That does sounds like fun," Rachel agreed. "And there are plenty of places around there that will teach you. Maybe we could take lessons together."

"You realize you would have to go in all the way, right?" Quinn joked. "Not just to your ankles."

"I realize that," Rachel replied. "But maybe with you there to keep me safe I won't be so scared to go in."

Quinn smiled to herself and then turned and opened the basket, pulling out several pillows from within. She offered one to Rachel before putting hers behind her and lying back.

"The sky is turning orange," Quinn commented as she stared up at it.

"It beautiful," Rachel said, following suit, and lying back.

"Yeah," Quinn agreed before turning and looking at Rachel.

Rachel had a content smile on her face when she turned her head and stared back at Quinn. After a moment, they both looked back up at the sky, and Rachel reached over, slowly lacing her fingers with Quinn's.

* * *

As they walked by a group of loud teenagers, Quinn noticed two of the boys turn to look at her and Rachel. She didn't know if it was because they were holding hands or if it was just because they were two attractive females, but she gave them her best icy stare, arching her eyebrow at them until they both looked away. She didn't feel like being gawked at, and she definitely didn't feel like seeing them leering over Rachel.

"Do we have admirers?" Rachel asked, glancing at Quinn.

"Something like that," Quinn replied.

"I can't say I blame them," Rachel said, smiling at her. "I'm afraid I would have the same reaction if I ever saw you pass by me on the street."

Quinn shook her head but had a smile on her face, nevertheless. "Is that why you picked me to move in? So you could look at me every day?"

"Of course not," Rachel replied, but Quinn could see a red tinge had appeared on her cheeks. "I'll admit that it certainly didn't hurt, but when I met you, I just knew."

"Knew what?" Quinn wondered.

"I knew you were going to be important to me," Rachel replied. "I had a good feeling about you, and I was optimistic that we would get along even if you were a little standoffish in the beginning. I was obviously right, though; look at us now."

Quinn hummed. "I guess so."

Quinn hadn't really noticed how close they were to being home, but she realized they were nearly at their building. Normally, she would have walked her date—or been walked—to the front, but considering they lived together, she was suddenly feeling a little awkward about it. Did they kiss at the front door like on a normal date? Did they walk in and kiss? Did they walk in and go back to being roommates as if they hadn't just been out together?

"I can't believe it's so late," Rachel commented as Quinn opened the door for her, and they walked into the lobby. "Tonight passed by so quickly. Too quickly. Usually I'm counting down the minutes until a date ends."

Quinn smiled to herself and then asked, "So, you had fun?"

She was trying to sound nonchalant about it, but her heart rate had picked up. She had been nervous about how Rachel would react to everything, and even though she seemed like she was having a good time, Quinn would rather hear it from her than just assume.

"I had an amazing time, Quinn," Rachel said, smiling widely up at her.

"I know it was a little cliché—"

"It was perfect," Rachel interrupted as Quinn hit the 'up' button for the elevator. "It was exactly what a first date should be. I'm afraid I'm going to have a hard time topping it when I take you on our second date."

Quinn felt herself relax a little, and smiled at the mention of a second date. It had been a long time since she had ended a first date looking forward to the next one. She was usually kind of indifferent to her date by the end of the night, not really caring whether or not a second date ever occurred.

As they made their way up to their apartment, Quinn was saved from awkwardly standing by their front door, trying to figure out how to proceed, when Rachel released her hand and pulled out her keys to open the door. Quinn walked in behind her, closing and locking the door, and then turned around to find Rachel looking intently at her. She immediately began feeling nervous again when she saw the look in Rachel's eye and she suddenly became aware of just how close they were.

"At least there's no Santana here this time," Rachel quietly remarked.

Quinn couldn't help but give a nervous laugh. "Yeah."

Quinn paused for a moment, running her tongue along her bottom lip, before closing the distance between them. The kiss began slowly, their lips slowly brushing against each other, but after a few moments, Quinn put her hands on Rachel's waist, pulling her closer.

Rachel let out a low moan as she wrapped her arms around the back of Quinn's neck, pulling their bodies even closer together. Quinn felt Rachel's tongue brush against her lips ever so slightly, causing her lips to unconsciously part. A second later, their tongues met, Rachel's sliding against hers without any hesitancy. As fast as it had happened, though, Rachel was pulling away and placing a few chaste kisses to Quinn's lips.

"Goodnight, Quinn," Rachel said, looking up at her, her arms still around Quinn's neck.

"Goodnight," Quinn replied.

Quinn leaned down and gave Rachel one last lingering kiss before they broke apart. Rachel was the first to move as she turned and slowly walked toward her bedroom. A few seconds later, Quinn followed suit, walking to the opposite side of the apartment. As she walked into her room, she looked over her shoulder just in time to see Rachel closing her door with a smile on her face. A smile she imagined was much like her own.

* * *

Quinn looked at herself in the mirror, checking her makeup and making sure none of her hair was out of place. When she was finally satisfied with her appearance, she took a step back and turned to the mirror on the door. She wasn't entirely sure about her outfit—a navy mid-length skirt with a white blouse—but she really didn't feel like changing again. She didn't want to be overdressed for her first day of work, but she also didn't want to be underdressed. There was no dress code at the bookstore and many wore jeans and t-shirts, but it was her first day, and she wanted to show that she was making an effort.

"Your waffles are going to get cold, Quinn," Rachel said with a light knock.

"Sorry," Quinn replied, opening the door.

"Wow, Quinn," Rachel said, looking her up and down.

"Do I look okay?" Quinn asked.

"You look amazing," Rachel answered, slowly smiling. "But I suppose that's nothing new. I'm fairly certain you would look amazing even in a trash bag."

Quinn rolled her eyes and began walking toward the kitchen, where a plate of waffles was waiting for her on the island. "I doubt that."

"I don't," Rachel replied

"We're already going out again; you don't need to flatter me," Quinn joked.

"I'm only speaking the truth," Rachel said, following her into the kitchen. "You look amazing, just like you always do, regardless of what you're wearing." Rachel kissed her cheek and then handed her the maple syrup. "Don't be nervous; you're going to have a great first day."

Quinn wanted to say that she wasn't nervous, but she was. It was an excited nervous more than anything, though. It was the same feeling she got on the first day of a new class or when she was going somewhere she'd never been before. It wasn't like she thought that she was going to fail at the job or anything.

"I probably should have eaten before getting dressed," Quinn remarked.

Rachel gave a light laugh. "Maybe. Do you need a bib?"

Quinn narrowed her eyes at Rachel. "No."

"Just checking," Rachel said with a grin.

Quinn shook her head as she poured some syrup on her waffles. She had been worried about things changing between them after going on their date, but her fears had been unfounded. If anything, they seemed to have become a little more relaxed around each other, but she didn't consider that a bad thing. Rachel had been slightly more flirty and jokey in the past day, and Quinn figured it was because Rachel was no longer worried about it making her uncomfortable.

"Do you know what you're going to do for lunch?" Rachel asked, leaning her elbows on the island, and looking at Quinn.

Quinn shrugged. "I don't know. I don't know how long it will be. There's a coffee shop in the bookstore, so I may just get something there."

"Well, I was thinking maybe I could meet you there during your lunch," Rachel replied. "You know, if you want. I guess you may want to have lunch with your new co-workers, though, in which case, forget I said anything. I'll just see you when you get home this evening."

"Rachel," Quinn said, trying to keep her smile to herself.

"Yes?" Rachel asked.

"I'll text you when I know when lunch is going to be, okay?" Quinn said.

"Okay," Rachel replied, smiling. "I mean it, though. If you would rather have lunch with your co-workers, let me know. I would completely understand wanting to get to know them. After all, you're going to have to work with them for the rest of the summer, so you probably should get to know them."

Quinn shook her head. "I'd rather have lunch with you."

"Well, if you're sure," Rachel replied.

"I'm sure," Quinn stated.

Quinn began to eat as Rachel went about cleaning up the kitchen. By the time the waffle iron was in the cabinet, Quinn was picking up her plate and walking over to the sink to rinse it off.

"Do you have to leave now?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah," Quinn said, opening the dishwasher, and putting the plate inside. "I don't want to be late."

Quinn wiped her hands off on one of the towels and then she picked up her bag from where she'd set it on the stool, putting it on her shoulder.

"I'll see you at lunch," Quinn said, stopping, and turning toward Rachel.

Rachel nodded, "Let me know if you change your mind."

"I'm not going to change my mind," Quinn said, shaking her head.

Rachel smiled and walked toward her, leaning up, and giving Quinn a quick kiss. "I hope you have a wonderful day. I'll see you at lunch?"

"Yeah," Quinn smiled back, "I can't wait."

* * *

**So, I'm pretty sure I've said so before (I'm certain I have on tumblr), but just to remind you all, this story is going to be twenty-eight chapters. So we're getting close-ish to the end. You know, so none of you are surprised in four chapters when it's over.**


	25. Special

**Chapter 25 – Special**

"You're humming."

Quinn looked over at Shauna and immediately stopped. "Sorry."

She didn't even realize she had been humming. It wasn't something she usually did, but Rachel had been listening to music that morning while making breakfast and Quinn had gotten one of the songs stuck in her head.

"You were also smiling," Shauna added.

"I didn't know that was a bad thing," Quinn replied.

"It's not," Shauna said, leaning against one of the freestanding bookcases. "But you've been coming here for over a year and a half and I don't remember ever seeing you smile this much."

"Maybe I'm just happy to be out of school," Quinn replied with a shrug.

She could feel Shauna's eyes on her as she worked on straightening the shelves up. Some books were upside down while others were out of order, and Quinn did her best to put them back where they belonged. It was only her third day, so she didn't know if some of the books were in the right section or not, but she was at least making sure they all looked nice. Shauna always seemed to know if a book was sitting in the wrong genre, an ability Quinn figured would come with time.

"I thought you liked school," Shauna commented.

"I do, but that doesn't mean it's not stressful," Quinn replied.

"So, how'd you do this semester?" Shauna asked.

"The usual," Quinn said.

"So, straight A's?" Shauna replied.

"Yeah," Quinn said, reaching up to the top shelf, and flipping one of the books over. "Why is it so hard to put a book back right side up?"

"You'll learn a lot of things are hard for customers," Shauna remarked. "Like not smearing shit on the bathroom walls or taking one of the magazines into the back and getting off with it."

Quinn scrunched up her face in disgust. "People have really done that?"

"You would be surprised," Shauna said, shaking her head. "And, yes, people have really done that. Welcome to the glamorous life of retail."

Quinn paused for a moment and then shook her head, trying to get those terrible images out of her head. It was amazing enough to her that people would come in and make the place completely disheveled, so she really couldn't understand why anyone would act like _that_ in a place of business.

"Isn't it your lunchtime?" Shauna asked.

"What?" Quinn asked, pulling her phone out of her pocket with a groan when she saw the time and the two messages from Rachel. "Dammit. I'm late."

"Late for what?" Shauna asked.

"I'm supposed to meet—a friend," Quinn replied.

She didn't know if Shauna had noticed her hesitation or not, but she had, she didn't comment on it. Quinn wasn't exactly ready to start calling Rachel her girlfriend, though, and saying 'friend slash roommate slash potential girlfriend' was a little too much. Plus, she didn't know if she was really ready to tell anyone quite yet.

Jack and Brittany knew she and Rachel had been on a date—and had bombarded her with texts the next day asking how it had gone—but she wasn't exactly going to change her relationship status on Facebook. It wasn't that she was afraid or ashamed, but when it came to her love life, she liked to keep things relatively private. Maybe it was because her relationships in high school had been so public, but she no longer wanted everyone knowing the moment she began dating someone new. Then again, her relationships in high school had been all about getting people's attention, and her relationship with Rachel was just for her.

"I'll be back in an hour," Quinn said after straightening the last book on the shelf.

"I'll be here," Shauna said, giving her a wry smile.

Quinn quickly walked to the small break room to grab her purse and then rushed out of the bookstore. She had plans to meet Rachel nearly twenty minutes ago, but had lost track of time. Thankfully, the cafe Rachel had suggested was just around the corner, and she made it there in less than two minutes.

"There you are," Rachel said, standing from her seat the second she saw Quinn. "I was beginning to worry about you; you weren't answering my texts."

"I'm so sorry," Quinn rushed out. "I didn't realize what time it was."

"That's understandable," Rachel replied, taking her seat again. "I can imagine you stay quite busy at work. I was just worried that maybe something had happened on the walk here. I was trying to talk myself out of rushing over there to make sure everything was okay."

Quinn smiled as she sat down across from Rachel. "Hi."

"Hi," Rachel said, smiling back. "How has your day been?"

Quinn shrugged and said, "Fine. I wish people knew how to put a book back where they found it."

"Maybe you should just look at it as job security," Rachel replied with a laugh. "Although, I can see how that would be annoying."

"What about you?" Quinn asked. "How's yours going?"

"Rather boring without you, I'll admit" Rachel said.

"At least I'm off the next two days, right?" Quinn replied.

Rachel smiled. "I'm certainly looking forward to it."

* * *

"I can't imagine how uncomfortable that must be," Rachel said, staring intently at the television with her brows furrowed as the pregnant woman walked across the screen.

"My sister's pregnant," Quinn announced, realizing she'd never told Rachel.

"Really?" Rachel asked, moving her head so she could look at Quinn.

Quinn nodded and looked down at Rachel, who was lying next to her on the couch, her back to Quinn's front. "My mother told me the last time she called."

"So, you're going to be an aunt," Rachel said, entwining her fingers with Quinn's.

"I guess so," Quinn replied.

"It's too bad you and your sister aren't closer," Rachel said, running her thumb along Quinn's hand. "I'm sure you would enjoy having a little niece or nephew if the circumstances were a little better." Rachel paused for a moment and then said, "I wonder if I'll ever become an aunt."

Quinn frowned. "Wouldn't you have to have a brother or sister?"

"I do," Rachel said much to Quinn's surprise. "Kind of. My birth mother adopted a little girl. She's five."

"I don't think you've ever mentioned her before," Quinn softly said.

"That's because it's not something I usually like to talk about," Rachel replied. "She was a surrogate for my fathers. They used her egg and took care of her while she was pregnant with me. She signed a contract that barred her from contacting me until I was eighteen. Growing up, I always imagined what she would be like and if she ever thought of me. I was convinced she would call me on my eighteenth birthday."

"Did she?" Quinn asked.

Rachel shook her head. "It was about six months later. We met for coffee and—it wasn't what I expected. I thought we would have this special connection, but we didn't."

"Do you ever talk to her?" Quinn wondered.

"She called on my last birthday, but we really don't keep in contact," Rachel replied with a shrug.

"I'm sorry," Quinn said, knowing what it was like to have a disappointing relationship with your mother.

"I'm relatively over it," Rachel replied. "It was after meeting her that I finally decided to make my own family. I mean, who says your family is only those people who are related to you by blood or through the legal system? Personally, I think making your own family is just as special, if not more. You parents have to love you, right? Your friends are under no such obligation, yet they still choose to be there for you and love you."

"Or in Santana's case, criticize you, so I guess it is just like family," Quinn joked.

Rachel laughed. "She isn't always so bad. She's actually sort of growing on me. And I can see why she and Brittany work so well together; they complement each other nicely."

Quinn couldn't exactly disagree with the latter part. Santana and Brittany did work well together even if some people didn't really get their relationship. They evened each other out, though; Brittany was upbeat and optimistic, which helped even out Santana pessimism and general annoyance at the rest of the world.

"You know, Brittany sent me a message asking about a double date sometime in the future," Rachel said, looking up at Quinn with a smile.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Why doesn't that surprise me? What did you tell her?"

"That I appreciate the offer, but I think we'll be going on solo dates for a while," Rachel replied as she turned around so they were facing each other.

"Good answer," Quinn said.

"I thought so," Rachel replied, smiling.

Rachel leaned forward, pressing her lips against Quinn. When she began to pull away, Quinn cupped her hand around the back Rachel's

neck, pulling her back. Rachel didn't protest; instead, she deepened the kiss, gripping Quinn's shirt, and pulling their bodies closer together.

Quinn was vaguely aware of the sound of the movie when her tongue slid between Rachel's parted lips. And as Rachel's tongue curled around hers, the brunette released her grip on Quinn's shirt, moving her hands into Quinn's hair, something the guys she'd kissed rarely ever did. Rachel, however, seemed to be a fan of running her hands through Quinn's hair, and she was more than happy to let her.

After a minute or two, Rachel pulled back but not for long. Instead of reclaiming Quinn's lips, though, she began kissing her way along Quinn's jawline and down her neck, where she seemed to find a spot she particularly liked. Quinn bit her lip, feeling something she hadn't felt in a very long time, and put her hands on Rachel's back.

"You're going to give me a hickey," Quinn said, her voice a little raspier than usual.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Rachel said, kissing the spot before looking up at Quinn.

"It is when I have to work in two days," Quinn replied.

Rachel pouted for a moment. "Okay."

"That isn't going to work on me," Quinn said, shaking her head, and lightly laughing.

"Too bad," Rachel replied, laying her head on Quinn with a sigh before smiling up at her a few seconds later.

* * *

"This way," Rachel said, grabbing Quinn's hand, leading her toward the large set of steps.

"I thought you hated museums," Quinn said, looking up at the large building that she'd been in several times before.

"I don't _hate_ them," Rachel corrected. "They're simply not my favorite thing to go to. But you enjoy them, and I had a feeling you would really like this exhibition. Besides, it's not as if we're going to be here all night. I do have other activities planned for us."

Quinn noticed the banner hanging on the side of the building that was advertising some exhibition called Art Book that had just started the previous weekend and was running until the end of July. The name sounded vaguely familiar, and she wondered if one of her professors had mentioned it, but she couldn't remember.

"What is Art Book?" Quinn asked.

"You'll see," Rachel said with a grin.

Quinn didn't bother asking again, knowing Rachel would never tell her anyway. So, she stayed silent as Rachel handed her tickets over to the young man at the front, and then let Rachel lead her since the brunette seemed like she knew where she was going.

"Shouldn't the museum be closed by now?" Quinn asked as Rachel swung their hands between them in which Quinn could only assume was excitement.

"They're open late on Thursdays and Fridays," Rachel replied, smiling over at her. "Which was lucky timing."

Quinn nodded in agreement. She had to work the next two evenings, so Rachel had decided they should go out on Thursday rather than on the slightly more traditional date nights. And she hadn't wanted to wait until Sunday, when Quinn was only working a half day, saying it was too far away.

"I hope you like it," Rachel said when they neared the entrance to the exhibition. "We can stay here as long or as short as you would like. Just say the word and we can go."

Quinn furrowed her brows as she glanced around the room. "Is that—"

"Yes," Rachel said with a smile.

Quinn walked toward the closest piece to get a better look at it. Someone had taken an old book, cutting away parts of it to create a scene. To her right, another artist had folded the pages of multiple books to form words that expressed their own kind of story. Over her shoulder, standing in the middle of the room, was a large piece that used hundreds of books that were carved into what looked like a scene out of Lord of the Rings.

"Do you like it?" Rachel asked.

"This is amazing," Quinn said, shaking her head in surprise.

Rachel smiled. "I was hoping you wouldn't find the desecration of the books insulting."

Quinn reached out and took Rachel's hand again, lacing their fingers together as she stepped closer to the first exhibit.

"I was also hoping you hadn't heard about the exhibition," Rachel added. "I wanted it to be a surprise."

"It definitely was," Quinn replied, glancing over at Rachel. "I guess I've been a little preoccupied with other things."

Rachel smiled. "Well, that worked out well for me, didn't it?"

"On both accounts," Quinn replied.

Before moving in with Rachel, Quinn usually kept up with things happening around the city. Brittany and Santana liked to go out a lot, so she would often check online to see if there was anything of interest. If she didn't, she would be dragged to a club every time they wanted to get out for the evening, but if she knew what was going on, she could sometimes get Brittany interested in going there. And where Brittany went, Santana went. Lately, though, she had been more likely to spend her weekends in than going to some event.

"It's amazing, isn't it?" Rachel commented as she ducked her head down to get a better look at the piece of art. "That weeping willow must have taken forever to make. Oh! Look at the little squirrel!"

Quinn laughed, finding Rachel's excitement adorable. "Yeah."

"What do they do if they mess up?" Rachel asked. "Do you think they start all over or simply make it part of the piece?"

"I don't know," Quinn replied. "It probably depends on how badly they messed up."

"Could you imagine taking the time to cut out something so intricate just to accidentally cut something the wrong way, ruining the whole thing?" Rachel asked, shaking her head. "I don't know if I could ever find the patience to do something like this."

"I know I couldn't," Quinn replied as they walked over to the next piece.

"I guess it's a good thing there are others who do have the patience," Rachel said, lightly squeezing Quinn's hand.

"Yeah," Quinn smiled, "lucky for us."

* * *

"Here it is," Quinn said, pulling out an old copy of Emma and handing it to the guy, a man in his late twenties.

"Thanks," he said with a smile. "My sister's going to love this. It's her favorite book."

"You're welcome," Quinn replied, smiling back at him.

The man started to walk away, but then stopped and turned back toward her. "Say, you wouldn't happen to be free next Saturday, would you? I don't have a date for the party, and if you're not seeing anyone—"

"I have a girlfriend, actually," Quinn replied.

"Oh," he said before shrugging. "Okay. It was worth a shot. Thanks for the book."

Quinn nodded and then shook her head when he was out of sight. She didn't understand why guys were so prone to asking her out while she was at work. At least this one had been nice about it; others were a little more persistent, and since she didn't want to get fired, she couldn't exactly say to them what she would like to.

She and Rachel weren't actually at the point of calling each other their girlfriend yet, but it seemed like the easiest thing to say in the moment. They had been on two official dates and had spent countless other hours together, but when it came to defining their changing relationship, Quinn was a little hesitant to bring it up. For once, she was perfectly fine with just seeing where things went, so she was in no hurry to move things along. She figured things would just naturally progress when they were both ready for them to.

"You're cute when you're deep in thought."

Quinn smiled as she pushed a book back that was about to fall off the shelf. "And here I thought I was always cute."

"I'm not going to argue that point," Rachel said with a laugh, and Quinn looked over to find her standing at the end of the aisle.

"What are you doing here?" Quinn asked. "I thought you were going to the studio tonight."

"I am, but I thought I would drop you off some dinner first," Rachel replied, indicating the bag in her hands. "It seemed like such a waste to put the leftovers in the fridge since it's always better fresh. So, I thought I would stop by on my way to school. You haven't eaten yet, have you?"

Quinn shook her head. "I was actually just about to."

"Perfect!" Rachel said with a bright smile as she handed the bag over to Quinn. "It's too bad I can't stay longer. I'm beginning to wish I would have reserved the studio for a later time, but it was surprisingly full this week. I guess maybe some other people finally realized the benefits of rehearsing during the summer. Personally, I've never understood why everyone doesn't take advantage of this time." Rachel sighed. "I should go so someone doesn't attempt to steal my rehearsal time."

Quinn nodded and then started walking with Rachel toward the front of the store. "What time are you going to be home?"

"Well before you get home," Rachel replied. "I only managed to book the studio for two hours, so I should leave there around seven." Rachel turned, stopping in front of her. "I was thinking maybe I could order some takeout and we could spend the evening watching a movie or two. Unless you would rather do something else. Something a little more exciting."

"A movie's fine," Quinn said, shaking her head.

Rachel smiled. "Then, I'll see you when you get home."

Rachel grabbed her hand and leaned up, kissing her cheek. She was still smiling when she pulled away, and after another moment she began walking away, letting go of Quinn's hand when she could no longer hold on without stopping.

"Well, that explains it."

"That explains what?" Quinn asked Shauna as she continued watching Rachel walk out of the bookstore.

"Why you're so nauseatingly happy," Shauna replied.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "I'm not nauseatingly happy."

"As someone who is very single, you're nauseatingly happy," Shauna retorted.

"I'm taking lunch," Quinn said, turning around to go back to the break room.

"Good! So am I," Shauna replied. "That means you can tell me who the brunette is."

Quinn sighed as Shauna fell in step with her, and she glanced over at her. "That's Rachel."

Shauna laughed loudly. "Rachel? The roommate you couldn't stand?"

"Things—changed," Quinn replied.

"Obviously," Shauna said, looking amused. "She's cute, I'll give you that."

"Do me a favor and ignore everything I said about her before," Quinn replied as she walked into the break room.

"So, she's not annoying?" Shauna asked.

Quinn shrugged and walked over to the microwave, where she pulled out the container of food. "Rachel's—she's never really had any friends and she was just trying too hard, I guess." Quinn smiled. "She's not so bad once you get to know her."

"And when did you come to this realization?" Shauna asked.

"It's a long story," Quinn replied, smiling to herself.

* * *

"Quinn?" Rachel called out when she walked into the apartment.

"In here," Quinn called back as she placed the last dish in the middle of the dining room table.

"Why is it so dark?" Rachel asked, stopping in her tracks when she walked out of the foyer. "What's all this?"

"This is a thank you for all the times you've cook," Quinn said, walking around the table, and shrugging her shoulder.

"You made dinner?" Rachel asked, a smile slowly appearing on her face.

"Before you look too excited, I should probably remind you that I'm not that great at cooking," Quinn said, not wanting Rachel to get her hopes up too high.

Rachel's eyes widened for a moment and then she put her hands on her hips, looking at Quinn with narrowed eyes. "Is this why you convinced me I should go to the studio? You didn't really meet Jack, did you?"

"I didn't, no," Quinn said, trying not to smile.

Rachel huffed. "I don't know how I feel about being tricked like that."

"How else was I going to surprise you?" Quinn asked. "We live together; it's not like I can have you show up at my apartment and surprise you that way."

Rachel took her hands off her hips but she still had a slight pout to her face. She highly doubted Rachel was the least bit angry, so she wasn't worried that Rachel was actually mad at her. Rachel may have not liked being tricked, but Quinn knew she couldn't pout for too long about it.

"You really made dinner?" Rachel said, taking a few steps forward as she continued to look at Quinn.

"Yeah," Quinn replied.

Rachel smiled softly and looked at the table. "I don't think anyone has ever done that for me before. Then again, I've never made it past a second date with anyone ever before." Rachel walked over to the table. "I wish I was a little more presentable."

"You look fine," Quinn replied with a smile, pulling out Rachel's seat for her.

"I'm just thankful I showered before coming home," Rachel said, lightly laughing, glancing up at Quinn before looking back to the table. "Wow, Quinn, this looks incredible."

"It's nothing," Quinn replied. "And you may want to save your judgment until you've tasted it."

"You know, I don't believe for one moment that you're a bad cook," Rachel said. "I think you're just too hard on yourself."

Quinn shrugged as she pulled out her own chair and sat down across from Rachel. Maybe Rachel was right; maybe she was too hard on herself. Quinn wouldn't exactly say she was a terrible cook, but it was nothing compared to the times her family made her visit with her sister, who would always prepare an extravagant meal for the whole family. She found it hard not to compare herself to that when other people had been comparing them her whole life.

"Have you really never made it past the second date?" Quinn asked suddenly realizing what Rachel had said earlier.

Rachel blushed as she reached out for the bowl of salad. "Well, I usually scare people off on the first or I've decided I'm no longer interested, so it's usually difficult to make it to a second date. It's happened a few times, but I'm afraid to say I've never progressed onto the third date before."

"Until now," Quinn said, raising her eyebrow.

"It would seem so," Rachel replied with a smile.

"For what it's worth, I haven't been very good with relationships, either," Quinn commented.

"I find that difficult to believe," Rachel said, offering the salad bowl to Quinn.

"Well, you shouldn't," Quinn replied. "I had three boyfriends in high school, but I was more or less using them for their popularity." Quinn paused, wondering how much she wanted to really tell Rachel. "I—I cheated on two of them."

Rachel looked at her and then slowly nodded as she looked down and took a bite of her salad. "What about since then?"

"Since then I've gone out with a few people," Quinn said, shrugging.

"Were any of them serious?" Rachel asked.

"Not very," Quinn replied. "There were a few that lasted more than a couple weeks, but nothing too serious."

"Were they girls or guys or—" Rachel trailed off.

"Both," Quinn answered. "There was a girl my freshman year that I went out for about three weeks. But then I realized I wasn't as interested in her as she was me, so I ended things before I ended up hurting her even more. There was a guy last year that was basically the same story." Quinn shrugged. "What can I say? I guess I'm just picky."

Rachel smiled and looked across the table at Quinn. "I guess that makes me lucky that you would ever consider dating me."

"Or maybe it means you're special," Quinn replied, smiling softly back at Rachel.


	26. Caught In A Moment

**Chapter 26 – Caught In A Moment**

Quinn felt her arm brush again something and then heard it hit the top of the island with a thud. She pulled back to see what she had knocked over, but Rachel immediately pulled her forward, bringing their lips together again. Quinn didn't fight it, figuring that whatever she'd knocked over could wait until she was a little less busy.

Rachel's hand was tangled in Quinn's hair while her other was on Quinn's side. She was sitting on the island, making her taller than Quinn for once, and she seemed to like the height advantage if her fight for dominance was any indication. Quinn was used to be the one in control, though, and she wasn't going to let Rachel get her way so easily. She was purposefully slowing Rachel down and keeping extra space between them, which seemed to drive Rachel crazy, which just spurred Quinn on more.

"Quinn?" Rachel whispered.

Quinn hummed as her tongue met Rachel's, teasing it for a moment before pulling back. She fused their lips together, cutting off whatever Rachel was about to say in a slow, intoxicating kiss. After a long moment, she pulled back until there was a fraction of an inch between their mouths, and ran her tongue along her bottom lip, just barely touching Rachel's lips as well.

"Quinn," Rachel said again, sounding slightly out of breath. "Did you hear a noise?"

Quinn froze when she heard someone clear their throat. Someone who was definitely not Rachel. Which was unexpected because the last time she checked, they were completely alone in the apartment.

Slowly, Quinn looked toward the door, where the noise had come from, and saw Brittany and Santana standing just beyond the entryway with their arms loaded down with bags. Quinn closed her eyes and groaned, burying her face into Rachel's shoulder, wishing she was imagining the other two being there. Rachel rubbed her back, clearly trying to soothe her, but Quinn's shoulders remained tense.

"Hello, Brittany, Santana," Rachel said, and Quinn looked up to find a shy smile on her face.

"We thought we'd bring some of the things for tomorrow," Brittany explained. "The door was open. We knocked, but no one answered."

Brittany at least had the decency to look a little apologetic, but Santana had a smirk on her face and looked like she had just won the lottery. Then again, in Santana's world, she probably had. Quinn could only imagine the insults and remarks Santana was coming up with at that very moment. Seeing her kissing Rachel was probably like Christmas and her birthday rolled into one for Santana.

"I'm afraid I didn't hear you," Rachel said, hopping down from the counter when Quinn took a step back. "I apologize; I would have answered the door had I heard you knocking."

"We should go," Brittany said, glancing at Quinn.

"Nonsense," Rachel replied, waving her off. "Let me help you put those things up."

Quinn ran her hand through her hair and avoided looking in Santana's direction, not wanting to see that smug look on her face. Honestly, Quinn had figured Brittany had probably spilled the beans—she wasn't always the best at keeping a secret—but given Santana's reaction, Brittany had obviously managed to remain silent about it. She knew it wasn't going to last forever, not with the dinner party happening the next evening, but she hadn't expected this to happen right then.

"Okay, is no one going to talk about the giant freaking elephant in the room?" Santana asked.

"There's nothing to talk about," Quinn replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You say that like Britts and I didn't see you making out with Berry over there," Santana said, scoffing.

"That still doesn't mean there's anything to talk about," Quinn replied, rolling her eyes.

"Like hell there isn't," Santana said, setting her bags down, and facing Quinn. "You're—"

"Santana," Rachel said, cutting her off. "If Quinn doesn't want to discuss this right now, I would expect you, as her friend, to respect her wishes."

Santana's eyebrow rose, but before she could say anything, Rachel was already saying, "Now, if you would help me and Brittany put up these groceries, that would be wonderful."

Santana looked at Quinn, who was trying not to smile. "What?"

Quinn gave a nonchalant shrug and said, "I didn't say anything."

"Whatever," Santana replied, rolling her eyes.

Quinn expected Santana to stand there in defiance, but instead, she reached down and grabbed one of the bags from the floor. As she walked over to the fridge and began setting everything on the bottom shelf, Quinn looked over at Rachel. The other girl was watching Santana and then looked at Quinn, a grin slowly making its way across her lips.

"So, what are you two making for tomorrow?" Rachel asked, turning around to pick up another bag.

* * *

Quinn looked up when a bottle of beer appeared in front of her face, and she looked up to find Santana standing behind the couch.

"Are you gonna take it or what?" Santana asked.

Quinn hesitated but eventually reached out and took the drink from her with a mumbled, "Thanks."

As Santana walked around the couch and sat down next to her with a light huff, Quinn glanced around the room. Jack and Logan were still sitting at the dining room table while Rachel and Brittany were standing near the piano, going through the CDs that sat on the bookshelf, and she wondered why Santana wasn't over with her girlfriend.

Quinn took a drink and glanced over at Santana, who did the same. It wasn't like Santana to just sit there with her, and she knew she wanted something. It also wasn't like Santana to not just come out and say whatever it was; Santana wasn't exactly one to keep things to herself. She had always been more the type to say whatever was on her mind, regardless of the consequences.

"This beer is horrible," Quinn commented.

Santana took a long drink of hers, raising her eyebrow at Quinn as she did so. Quinn just shook her head before smiling slightly to herself.

"Okay, can you stop with that gross, mushy look?" Santana asked.

"What are you talking about?" Quinn asked back.

"I'm talking about that lovesick puppy look," Santana said, waving in the general direction of Quinn's face.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "What do you want, Santana?"

Santana didn't immediately answer; instead, she took another drink of her beer. "So," Santana took another drink, "are you two doing it yet?"

"Seriously?" Quinn asked, though she wasn't really surprised Santana was asking. "Why are you so concerned with my sex life?"

"They says lesbians move fast, but you two lived together before you started making out on the counter," Santana continued. "Have you moved into her bedroom yet?"

"I'm not a lesbian," Quinn stated. "And neither is Rachel."

Santana rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"If I answer your questions, will you answer one of mine?" Quinn asked.

"What kind of question?" Santana asked back, her voice edged with hostility.

"You'll find out if you agree to it," Quinn replied, knowing Santana wouldn't be able to stand not knowing.

"Whatever," Santana said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Okay," Quinn replied, shrugging.

"Fine, what do you want to know?" Santana asked. "But you're answering the question first."

"No, Rachel and I haven't slept together," Quinn answered. "And, no, I haven't moved into her room and I'm not going to. I'm moving out in two weeks, in case you've forgotten."

"Right," Santana replied, sounding unconvinced.

"My turn," Quinn said, setting her bottle of beer down on the coffee table. "What did I do to you? When we lived together, everything was fine in the beginning, but then you just—"

Quinn threw her hand up and shook her head. It was something she had wondered for a long time. She had no idea why Santana had become increasingly more hostile toward her the longer they lived together. She could never quite figure out what she had done; her mere existence seemed to anger Santana sometimes, and she'd never exactly figured out why that was. They had never been the most traditional of friends—there was too much competition between them during high school for that—but they'd at least managed to not argue all day, every day.

"I thought you said you would answer my question," Quinn said after a while when Santana didn't respond.

"Is everything okay?" Rachel asked, walking up to the couch, and putting her hand on the back of it.

Quinn shook her head but said, "Fine."

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked.

"What's going on?" Brittany asked, flopping down on the love seat.

"Nothing, B," Santana answered.

"Actually, I was just asking Santana what I did to make her hate me so much," Quinn said, raising her eyebrow.

Santana shot her a glare and mumbled something under her breath.

"San doesn't hate you," Brittany said. "She was just—"

"Britt!" Santana hissed.

"She was just what?" Quinn asked.

"She was—"

"Fine! I didn't like how close you and B were, okay?" Santana replied, interrupting her girlfriend, and rolling her eyes before looking at Quinn. "Are you happy? I wanted it to just be us, but you were always there."

"So, you were jealous?" Quinn asked.

Santana scoffed. "I wasn't jealous."

"You were jealous, so you acted like a bitch to get me to leave," Quinn said.

"I told you I wasn't jealous," Santana replied.

Quinn shook her head. "Did you ever just think to ask me to move?"

"Just think, Quinn, if Santana had asked nicely, you never would have moved in here." Rachel said, putting her hand on Quinn's shoulder. "And then you and I never would have met."

"I guess that's true," Quinn replied, tilting her head back, and looking up at her.

"See, even something great can come out of a bad situation," Rachel said, looking down at her with a smile.

* * *

Quinn glanced toward the door when she heard the jangle of the bell and found Jack walking into the bookstore. He immediately saw her and smiled, walking toward her with his hands in his pockets.

"Hi," Jack greeted.

"Hey," Quinn replied.

"It's been a while since I've been in here," Jack said, scratching the back of his head while he looked around. "They changed everything."

"Yeah, they remodeled in the fall," Quinn replied.

"I like it," Jack said with a nod of approval.

"What are you doing here?" Quinn wondered.

Jack shrugged. "I just thought I'd stop by."

"Because you don't get enough books at the library?" Quinn asked.

"Oh, I've seen enough books for a lifetime," Jack said, laughing. "I was just on my lunch and had some extra time, so I thought I'd stop in and see what you were doing. Other than working, obviously."

"Well, I looked at an apartment this morning," Quinn said.

"Really?" Jack asked. "So, you're actually going to move out?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Quinn asked back. "The agreement was for six months, and it's been six months."

"Yeah, but things have changed," Jack replied. "You two are dating now. She wants you to stay, so why don't you?"

"Actually, she hasn't said anything about it," Quinn said, shaking her head as she turned her attention to one of the bookshelves.

"She hasn't asked you to stay?" Jack asked, frowning.

"No," Quinn replied.

"Well, maybe she's just waiting for you to ask," Jack suggested.

"Or maybe she doesn't want me to," Quinn replied. "Like you said, things _have_ changed. Maybe she doesn't want to live with someone she's dating."

"Oh, please," Jack said, waving her off. "She obviously doesn't have a problem with it. You two have basically been dating for months and everything's been fine."

"We haven't been dating for months," Quinn replied.

"Yeah, you have," Jack argued. "Maybe not in an official capacity, but you two have been a couple for way longer than you've been going out. Like at that first dinner party; you always knew when Rachel needed help without her even asking and she's always doing little things for you, too. Just watching you—it's like you've known each other forever."

"That's because we're friends." Quinn replied.

"Friends," Jack said, laughing. "I've never been as in sync with any of my friends as you two are. It's like you two know what each other needs before _you_ even realize it."

"What is your point?" Quinn asked.

"My point is that it'd be stupid for you to move out," Jack replied.

Quinn couldn't deny the thought of staying was enticing, but there was more than one problem with it. Foremost was the fact that

Rachel hadn't actually asked her to continue living there. Any time Quinn brought up looking for an apartment, Rachel usually got quiet, but she'd never actually asked her to stay. And another thing was that Quinn couldn't afford an apartment like that and didn't want Rachel feeling like she was trying to take advantage of her.

She knew Rachel wasn't exactly paying anything to live there, either, but it was different. Rachel could easily charge for someone to live there rather than having Quinn stay in the extra bedroom. It was one thing staying there for six months with someone you didn't know; it was a whole other thing to feel like you were mooching off your girlfriend. And Quinn didn't want Rachel to think in any way that part of the reason she was with her was so she could continue staying there. Which was probably the major reason she was so determined to find an apartment of her own. She didn't want Rachel doubting this thing between them.

"Do you _want_ to move out?" Jack asked.

"It doesn't matter if I want to or not," Quinn replied.

"Of course it matters," Jack said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Imagine it was you and Logan," Quinn replied. "Would you want him thinking that part of the reason you're dating him is because you're afraid to lose an apartment? Rachel has been—" Quinn sighed. "She hasn't really had any friends, and the only time I've ever seen her have anyone over was a group of people who obviously didn't care about her. They just wanted a nice place to hang out. I don't want her to think I'm using her."

"So, pay rent," Jack said. "Problem solved."

"Do you really think I could afford an apartment like that?" Quinn asked.

"No, but you could work out some kind of deal," Jack said, shrugging.

"You're still overlooking the fact that she hasn't asked me to stay," Quinn reminded him.

"I'm sure she would if she thought you wanted to stay," Jack replied.

Quinn sighed and said, "It doesn't matter. Either way, I'm moving out."

* * *

"I would hate for someone to be able to look into our apartment like that," Rachel commented, running her hand along Quinn's arm, which was wrapped around her.

"How do you know someone isn't looking in here right now?" Quinn joked.

Quinn looked down when Rachel didn't answer and she saw that the other girl had a slight blush to her cheeks. Raising her eyebrow, Quinn said, "Rachel?"

"I may have a pair of binoculars that I occasionally used to make sure no one is spying on the apartment," Rachel said, causing her blush to deepen.

"So, you spy on other people to make sure they're not spying on you?" Quinn asked.

"I wouldn't call what I'm doing spying," Rachel replied. "I simply make sure no one is looking into the apartment. I have no desire to see them in a compromising position or anything of that sort. I'm just making sure no one has a telescope set up, pointed in our direction."

"Has anyone ever told you you're crazy?" Quinn asked.

"I have been told that before, yes," Rachel said with a slight smile.

Quinn paused for a moment and then asked, "Have you ever found anyone looking?"

"Thankfully no," Rachel replied. "For a while I had the sensation of being watched, which is when I purchased the binoculars, but I was never able to see anyone watching me. I was living alone at the time, though, so maybe some of my paranoia had to do with that."

Quinn hummed and looked back at the television while Rachel resumed running her fingers along Quinn's forearm. She wasn't very interested in the movie they were watching—some movie from the early 2000s called Head Over Heels—but lying on the couch with Rachel was something she was definitely a fan of, so it didn't really matter to her what they were watching.

"Let me know if you're getting hungry," Rachel softly said. "We can always order something. Or I could throw something together if you would prefer."

"I'm fine," Quinn replied, placing a kiss on the side of Rachel's neck.

"Well, if you change your mind, just let me know," Rachel said, running her hand down Quinn's arm, and entwining their fingers together.

Quinn squeezed Rachel's hand in acknowledgement and looked down at the side of Rachel's face. "Have you started looking for a roommate yet?"

Rachel glanced at her and then laid her head back down. "I've had the flyers printed and I've hired someone to place them around on various campus bulletin boards. I simply need to give him the word and he'll begin posting them around."

"Why haven't you?" Quinn asked.

Rachel shrugged. "I suppose I haven't felt like dealing with all the phone calls that come along with it. In the past, I didn't mind; it wasn't as if I had a busy social calendar or anything. Now, though—now I'd rather spend the time with you. I'm sure I'll call Robert on Monday and give him the go ahead. It shouldn't take too long to choose the candidates, and most people are eager for the interview to happen rather quickly. It is a free apartment, after all. What about you? Have you found an apartment?"

"Not yet," Quinn replied. "I've looked at a few, but I don't know."

"Not suitable for you?" Rachel asked.

"One was a dump, so I immediately crossed that off my list," Quinn said, shaking her head at the memory. "One was fine, but the bedroom was more of a closet than a room, and the other was—well, the girl who lived there was a little weird."

"I'm sure you thought the same when you met me," Rachel replied.

"Who says I still don't think it?" Quinn joked, smiling.

"Very funny," Rachel replied.

"And when I say she's weird I mean she had clowns all over the place," Quinn said. "She collects them, and they're all over the living room."

"Okay, that's a little creepy," Rachel agreed.

"Yeah, and I don't know if I'd be able to deal with looking at those things all the time," Quinn said.

"No, I completely agree," Rachel replied. "And since I'm sure I'll be spending some of my time at this apartment, I would certainly like to veto the clown apartment."

"I'm going to look at another one on Monday," Quinn said with a light sigh. "I know the girl from class; she sent me a few pictures and it looks like it'll be okay."

"Well, then, maybe your search is over," Rachel replied.

"Yeah," Quinn said. "Maybe."

"I guess all that's left is finding a new roommate for myself," Rachel remarked.

Rachel's voice gave no emotion away, and when Quinn looked down, her face was unreadable as well. She couldn't help wondering if Jack was right. Was Rachel waiting for her to ask if she could live there, or was Rachel perfectly fine with getting a new roommate?

* * *

"Quinn, dear, how are you?" Judy asked the moment Quinn had greeted her.

"Fine," Quinn replied. "How are you and dad?"

"We're just great," Judy answered. "We just got back from church. We were going to have lunch with the Chase's, but they decided to cancel at the last minute. Of course we understand, but a little heads up would have allowed us to make plans with one of our other friends."

Quinn could just imagine her mother pursing her lips in disapproval. She may try to sound as if she understood and that everything was fine, but Quinn knew better. Her mother didn't take these things lightly, and probably felt as if she had been slighted by the Chases.

"Anyway, so your father and I were home earlier than expected, so I thought I would give you a call," Judy continued. "Did you attend service today."

"No, I had to get ready for work," Quinn said, leaving out the fact that she wouldn't have gone either way.

"Oh, so you found a job?" Judy asked.

"Yeah, I'm working at a bookstore near campus," Quinn said, running her hand through her hair as she looked around for her name tag.

"When did you begin working there?" Judy asked.

"Two weeks ago," Quinn answered. "It's only part time. I usually work over the weekend, but if someone calls in or takes vacation, they may call me."

"How do you like working there?" Judy asked. "Are there any cute boys working there."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "I don't know; I haven't noticed."

"You haven't noticed?" Judy asked.

"Not really," Quinn replied.

"Well, have there been any nice customers?" Judy inquired.

Quinn knew she wasn't asking about polite customers. It had been a major topic of conversation whenever her parents were there; her mother wouldn't stop bringing up her dating life. She would never understand why her mother was so concerned about it, as if she was going to spend her life alone if she didn't find someone soon. Quinn was only twenty one; she was nowhere near ready to settle down and get married.

"I had a few ask me out, but I told them I'm already dating someone," Quinn said, pausing, and waiting for Judy's reaction.

"Oh, Quinnie, we taught you better than to lie," Judy admonished.

"I wasn't lying," Quinn replied, though she wanted to point out that that's exactly what they taught her to do.

Growing up in the Fabray household, she learned at an early age to keep the truth to herself about a lot of things. As a child, she'd gotten in trouble more than once for coming to them with something. It was something she learned when she was six and a boy named Robby had kissed her on the playground. She complained to her parents about it only to have them deny that it had ever happened because Robby was the son of Russell's boss, and she had been the one to get in trouble for it. It was that day that she realized her parents only wanted to hear the truth if it was convenient for them.

Lying became an even bigger necessity as she got older if she wanted to have a roof over her head. Even after moving to New York, she was forced to lie to them on a regular basis if she wanted to be able to stay in school. She couldn't wait until the day when she no longer had to lie about her life.

"You have a boyfriend!?" Judy asked, sounding more excited than Quinn had heard her in a long time.

"I'm seeing someone, yes," Quinn replied.

"Oh, that's wonderful, dear!" Judy said. "What's his name? Where did you meet?"

Quinn breathed a sigh of relief as a knock sounded on the door. "Come in."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rachel said when she opened the door and saw Quinn. "I didn't realize you were on the phone.

"Save me!" Quinn whispered, putting her hand to the bottom of the phone so she wouldn't be heard.

"Quinn?" Judy said. "Are you there."

"Yeah, Rachel just came in," Quinn replied. "She—"

"Can I ask you a question?" Rachel said.

"She needs to ask me a question before I leave for work," Quinn said, mouthing a silent 'thank you' to the brunette.

"Oh, alright," Judy replied. "But I want to hear all about this boyfriend of yours the next time we talk."

Rachel's eyebrows rose, obviously having heard Judy.

"Okay," Quinn hurried agreed. "Bye."

"Bye, dear," Judy replied.

"You told your mom?" Rachel asked the moment Quinn ended the call.

"I told her I was seeing someone," Quinn replied.

Rachel smiled. "You told her about me."

"She thinks I have a boyfriend," Quinn stated.

"But did you tell her you had a boyfriend?" Rachel asked.

"No," Quinn replied. "She just assumed."

"Then you told her about me," Rachel said, walking up to Quinn, and wrapping her arms around her waist.

"Why do you look so happy?" Quinn wondered.

"Because this is the first time I've ever had anyone tell their parents they were in a relationship with me," Rachel replied. "Even if they don't necessarily know I'm the one their daughter is in the relationship with. Regardless, I'm happy."

"Now if I could just tell them the whole truth," Quinn said, looking away.

"You will," Rachel replied. "When the time is right, you'll tell them. And I hope I can be the one by your side when you do it. I want to be the one there to support you."

"That may be a while," Quinn replied.

Rachel smiled. "I can wait."

* * *

**Two chapters to go.**


	27. Tonight Is the Night

**Chapter 27 – Tonight Is the Night**

Quinn slowly walked around the room, looking in the closet and making sure there were no sign of bugs or rodents. She saw none, though, and like the rest of the apartment, the bedroom was suitable. It was small compared to the room she'd been living in for the past six months, but it was definitely bigger than her room in the apartment she'd shared with Brittany and Santana.

"What do you think?"

"It's nice," Quinn answered, looking over her shoulder at Sara, the girl who was renting the room.

"The heat could work a little better in here, so it does get a little chilly in the winter," Sara said, walking toward the window. "And you have a nice view of a wall."

Quinn smiled. "I don't really care about the view."

"There are a few other people interested in the room," Sara explained. "One of them wouldn't want to move in until August when they come back to school and the other seems nice enough, but it's hard to tell, you know?" Sara shrugged. "I'm going to make a decision this weekend, but between you and me, I'd rather live with someone I know than a stranger."

Quinn nodded and looked around the room one last time. "Well, it's definitely at the top of my list. It's smaller than where I'm living now, but I can't keep staying there."

"Roommate problems?" Sara asked.

"No, nothing like that," Quinn said, shaking her head.

Sara furrowed her brows slightly but nodded. "If you want to keep looking around, I don't mind."

"I think I've seen all I need to see," Quinn replied, giving Sara a smile.

"Alright, well, I'm glad you came," Sara said. "If you change your mind about anything, let me know, okay?"

"I will," Quinn replied.

Sara led Quinn to the door, and she glanced around the living room and kitchen on her way. It wasn't a bad apartment—it was a little smaller and drearier than she liked—but it didn't exactly feel like home, either. But out of the four apartments she'd looked at in person and countless ones she had view online, it was definitely the best option within her price range. At least she would have her own room, and she figured living with someone with the same major could have its upside.

After thanking Sara, Quinn walked down the steps to the street and decided to take a look around. After all, if she was going to be living there, she wanted to know what all was around.

The neighborhood wasn't the best in the world, but it certainly wasn't one of the worst to live in. It was more of a residential neighborhood, so there were plenty of other apartments, but there were also quite a few shops and restaurants around, which was good since Quinn didn't like to cook. She was also happy to see a grocery store just around the corner from the apartment. It was small and probably overpriced, but it would be better than having to carry groceries a long distance.

As she began walking back to the subway, her phone started ringing, and Quinn shook her head at the music that was coming from her phone. She pulled it out of her bag and answered it, knowing it was Rachel without having to look at the caller ID since the other girl had insisted on setting herself a special ringtone. It was the first time she had called since doing it over the weekend and Quinn hadn't bothered to see what she'd set it to, but she was unsurprised that Rachel had chosen For Good as her ringtone.

"Hey," Quinn greeted.

"Hello, Quinn," Rachel replied. "I'm not interrupting, am I?"

"No, I was actually heading home," Quinn said, stopping, and standing near one of the buildings so she wouldn't be in everyone's way.

"Oh, perfect!" Rachel replied. "I was just calling to ask if you would like to meet for lunch somewhere or if you would like to pick up something on the way. Or I could fix something if you prefer. I'm certainly open to suggestions."

"I could pick up something on the way," Quinn offered.

She normally would have been fine with meeting Rachel somewhere since she didn't have to work that day, but she wasn't really in the mood to go out anywhere. She didn't really have many days left in the apartment, and she wanted to enjoy it while she could. She knew she would be over there plenty even after she moved, but she also knew it wouldn't be the same as living there with Rachel. For one, there would be another person walking around, calling it home.

"How does sandwiches from All Seasons sound?" Rachel asked.

"That's fine," Quinn said as she began walking toward the subway again.

"Great!" Rachel replied. "I'll call in the order so it'll be ready when you get there."

Quinn nodded to herself and said, "I'll see you in about an hour."

* * *

"You're really moving?" Brittany asked.

"Yes, I'm really moving," Quinn replied.

She didn't know why Brittany looked so surprised. She'd already told her she was going to be moving soon. Brittany knew she was only supposed to live with Rachel for six months and that she'd been looking for apartments, so she didn't know why it seemed to come as a shock to her friend.

"But why?" Brittany asked.

Quinn sighed. "You know why."

"I don't understand why you would move out," Brittany said, shaking her head. "Aren't you and Rachel happy?"

Quinn could feel her patience slipping. She didn't know why everyone was acting as if her moving out was the end of the world. She'd already gone around in circles with Jack, and she didn't want to have this conversation again. Unfortunately, Brittany wasn't one easily deterred.

"Of course we are," Quinn replied, reaching out, and picking up her glass of water.

She should have known better than to agree to lunch with Brittany even if it was something she promised to do every week. She had no doubt that her moving was going to come up, and she hadn't been disappointed. One of the first questions Brittany had asked was if she was still looking for an apartment. For a moment, she thought maybe Brittany was going to suggest moving back in with her and Santana, but she'd apparently learned her lesson.

"Then I don't understand," Brittany said, furrowing her brows together. "Why would you want to move?"

"I can't stay there forever even if I want to," Quinn replied.

"So, you don't want to stay?" Brittany said, her frown turning into a slight smile.

"That's not what—" Quinn sighed. "I've already told you why I can't."

"Well, I think it's a bad reason," Brittany argued.

Quinn rolled her eyes. She didn't know why it was so hard for everyone to understand. She and Rachel had made a deal, and now that deal was up.

"You think not wanting my girlfriend to think I'm trying to take advantage of her is a bad reason?" Quinn asked.

"I don't think she would think that," Brittany replied.

Quinn shook her head. Maybe Rachel wouldn't think it, but maybe she would, and Quinn didn't want to plant that seed of doubt. She hadn't really cared when Rachel was just the weird girl she lived with, but now that she knew her, she couldn't do it. Not after they had become friends, and especially not now that they were in a relationship.

"Just talk to her," Brittany stated.

"There's nothing to talk about," Quinn replied.

"You and San are always so stubborn," Brittany said, shaking her head, and frowning.

"I would just feel too bad about living there without paying rent, and there's no way I could ever afford it," Quinn replied. "You know that."

"I still don't get it," Brittany said with a shrug.

"Can we talk about something else?" Quinn asked, stabbing a piece of lettuce with her fork. "I'm moving, and it's not up for debate."

Brittany frowned again and picked up her sandwich, taking a bite of it.

"How's work?" Quinn asked.

"Fine," Brittany said with a shrug. "Miss Warren is talking about taking a vacation for a few weeks, so I'll be in charge if she does that. I had a lot of fun leading the class the last time, so I'm hoping she goes. I can prove to her that I can do it and I'm ready to do more there. I just hope none of the parents decide to be mean. Miss Warren's usually the one who talks to them."

"Maybe you should have Santana there," Quinn jokingly said.

"That's what San said," Brittany replied.

"Of course, with her there, you probably won't have to worry because you won't have a job to go back to," Quinn added.

"And that's what I said," Brittany said, smiling. "But maybe that wouldn't be a bad thing. Maybe I'd go on more auditions then. I haven't been on one in forever."

When they first moved there, Brittany had talked about trying to make it as a dancer, but nothing had really come of it. Not long after moving to the city, she had gotten at job a Miss Warren's Dance Studio. It was only part time, but she was doing what she loved. Luckily for them, Brittany and Santana both had parents who were willing to help them while they found their footing.

"You could ask Rachel," Quinn suggested. "She probably knows where to find out about auditions."

"I never thought about that," Brittany replied, her face lighting up.

"I'm sure she'd be happy to help," Quinn said with a light shrug.

Brittany smiled. "Awesome. I'll ask her the next time I see her."

* * *

Quinn pulled her bag off her shoulder as she closed the front door and looked toward the living room. The moment she had walked into the apartment, Rachel had stood from the couch, clasping her hands in front of her, and smiling as she looked at Quinn. Quinn saw that there were over a half a dozen boxes of Chinese takeout on the coffee table, and she raised her eyebrows at Rachel.

"I may have gone a little overboard," Rachel said, looking down at the table. "But I thought we could try something new, so I ordered a few things we've never sampled before."

"A few?" Quinn asked in amusement.

"Well, I thought I would play it safe," Rachel replied. "I didn't want to just order one or two things, because what if we didn't like it? This way, there's a higher probability that we'll each like at least one thing." Rachel smiled. "I know we have an actual date tomorrow, but I thought we could have a home date this evening."

Quinn laughed lightly and shook her head. "A home date?"

"Yes, a home date," Rachel replied. "Can you think of a better thing to call it?"

Quinn didn't bother answering the question; instead, she dropped her bag off on the island and then walked into the living room, where Netflix was pulled up on the television.

"So, in other words, this is just a typical Friday night?" Quinn commented.

"You can say that," Rachel replied. "But now that we're in a relationship, I prefer to think of it as a very low-key date. I mean, dinner and a movie is pretty much the dictionary definition of a date. Just because we don't actually leave the apartment, it doesn't make it any less of a date."

"I'm not arguing," Quinn said, leaning forward, and kissing Rachel. "I'll be right back."

Quinn walked to the bathroom to wash her hands, and when she came out, Rachel was sitting on the couch, flipping through page after page of movies.

"How was your day?" Rachel asked when she looked over her shoulder and saw Quinn approaching.

"It was okay," Quinn replied with a shrug.

There was never a lot to say about her job at the bookstore. She shelved, she straightened things up, and she occasionally ran the register when someone else was on break. Most of her day was spent cleaning up the mess customers left, though. People seemed to be incapable of putting books back where they got them, and they even seemed to have a hard time not using the bookshelves as trashcans.

"Well, I spent most of my evening sifting through voicemails," Rachel remarked.

Quinn hummed as she sat down next to Rachel, who was watching her out of the corner of her eye. She didn't know if Rachel was watching for a reaction or what, but she'd been randomly bringing up her roommate search for the past few days. It was as if she was hinting that she wanted Quinn to stay, but she still hadn't asked her.

"What are we going to watch?" Quinn asked.

"I can't decide," Rachel replied, turning her attention back to the television. "What are you in the mood for?"

Quinn shrugged. "I don't know. Nothing scary. And nothing too dramatic. Can we just watch something mindless?"

"I may be able to find something like that," Rachel said with a smile. "Can I interest you in a bad disaster movie? Or maybe we'll get lucky and find a good disaster movie."

"That works," Quinn said, reaching for one of the containers of food.

"How does Twister sound?" Rachel asked. "I've never watched it, but I've heard other people talk about it."

Quinn shrugged. "That's fine."

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked, frowning.

"I'm just tired," Quinn replied.

"We don't have to watch a movie," Rachel said, sitting back, and looking at Quinn. "If there's anything else you'd rather do—or if you'd like to do nothing at all."

"A movie's fine," Quinn replied, taking a bit of food.

"Are you sure?" Rachel asked.

"If I didn't want to watch one, I'd let you know," Quinn said, raising her eyebrow at Rachel.

"Okay, I'm sorry," Rachel replied. "We'll watch a movie and I'll stop asking you so many questions."

"Good," Quinn said, pulling her leg underneath her, and leaning her elbow on the arm of the couch. "This isn't bad. What is it?"

"I'm not sure," Rachel said, looking at it when Quinn tilted the container in her direction. "It could be the mushroom lo mein. If there's tofu in it, it's probably not, though."

Quinn shrugged. "Want to try it?"

"If you don't mind sharing," Rachel replied.

"Because we're so short on food?" Quinn asked.

Rachel gave a sort of embarrassed smile and then started to reach for the container, but Quinn turned it back her way and used her own chopsticks, careful not to drop any on the couch. Rachel leaned forward, allowing Quinn to put the bite of food in her mouth, and then sat back, licking her lips where a bit of the sauce had dripped.

"You're right," Rachel remarked. "It is very good."

"Did you doubt me?" Quinn asked with a slight smile.

"I've never doubted you, Quinn," Rachel replied, smiling back.

* * *

"Is it sprinkling?" Rachel asked, looking toward the sky.

"I think so," Quinn said, having felt a drop or two on her arm.

"I looked at the weather and they mentioned nothing of rain," Rachel said as if it would change the fact that it was beginning to rain.

"It wouldn't be the first time they were wrong," Quinn remarked.

"I know, but I would have brought an umbrella if I thought there was any chance of rain," Rachel replied.

They weren't horribly far away from their apartment, but with every step they took, it seemed to begin to sprinkle harder until the skies seemed to open up in a sudden downpour. Rachel let out a slight squeal and immediately put her hands over her head as if it was going to prevent her from getting rained on. Quinn let out a light laugh, shaking her head at how cute Rachel was being, and a moment later, Rachel grabbed her hand, pulling her toward their apartment building.

By the time Rachel pulled her into the lobby, they were both dripping wet. So much so that Quinn doubted an umbrella would have had much effect even if they had brought one.

"I can't believe that just happened," Rachel said, frowning down at the small puddles that were forming around her feet. "I'm so sorry, Quinn."

Quinn squeezed Rachel's hand and smiled over at her. "I'm not going to melt."

"I know, but I should have been better prepared," Rachel replied, shaking her head, causing a few drops of water to hit Quinn's arm.

"Come on," Quinn said, pulling Rachel toward the elevator.

She really didn't care about the rain. Considering she'd spent many hours running in the rain during high school, it was actually something she was used to. Her cheerleading coach did care if it was rain or shine, below freezing or over a hundred degrees, so weather usually didn't bother her very much. She actually always kind of liked being out in the rain. It was something her parents wouldn't let her do as a child—it wasn't proper for a young lady to play in the rain—so she guessed she was just making up for lost time.

"What?" Quinn asked when she noticed Rachel looking at her in the elevator.

"Nothing," Rachel said, quickly averting her eyes.

Quinn smirked to herself, but she didn't say anything. She knew exactly what Rachel was looking at, because if her clothes were anything like Rachel's, they were probably a little see through and they were definitely sticking to every inch of her body.

When the elevator doors opened, Quinn reached for Rachel's hand again and led Rachel to their front door. Before she could pull her keys out of her purse, Rachel was already opening the door and stepping to the side with a smile. Rather than walk in ahead of Rachel, though, Quinn paused at the doorway and leaned over, lightly kissing Rachel's lips.

"What was that for?" Rachel softly asked.

Rather than answer, Quinn wrapped her hand around the back of Rachel's neck and pulled their lips together in a lingering kiss. When Quinn started to pull away from the kiss, Rachel's hands landed on her back, gripping at the soaked material of her dress. So, instead of breaking the kiss, Quinn blindly led them into the apartment and groped around for the door, which she shut behind them with her free hand.

Rachel's tongue danced and curled with hers while her hands moved from Quinn's back to her side, where they paused briefly, before brushing against her breasts. A moment later, the brunette pulled away, sounding slightly out of breath, and locked eyes with Quinn. She felt like Rachel was about to apologize even though there was no need, so she whispered, "It's okay."

Rachel gave her a smile and leaned in again, capturing Quinn's lips, and brushing her thumb against Quinn's breasts again, leaving Quinn with little doubt as to what Rachel wanted.

"Do you think we're moving too fast?" Quinn asked.

She didn't want Rachel to have any regrets, but as she looked into her eyes, she didn't see any doubts or hesitation. The only thing she could see in Rachel's eyes was love, something Quinn had never really seen before from anyone.

After a moment, Rachel shook her head and brought their lips together again before pulling away and saying. "I've been waiting for this for a while. But if you think we are—"

Quinn cut her question off with another kiss as she slowly wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist, bringing their bodies closer together.

* * *

Quinn slowly stretched her arm across the mattress with a yawn, and then buried her face in the pillow. It took her a moment to realize she wasn't in her own bed, but then she smelled Rachel's shampoo on the pillow and remembered she was in Rachel's room rather than her own.

She looked toward the bathroom door, but it was wide open, so she looked over her shoulder and saw that it was almost seven-thirty, so Rachel had probably been up for some time. Just when she sat up and ran her hand through her tangled hair, she heard a light clatter in the other room and knew Rachel was probably making breakfast.

Quinn stood up from the bed and looked around the room. She didn't see any of her clothes from the previous night, but then spotted some sitting on the chair that Rachel kept near the window with her phone on top of them. She walked over and picked up the garment on top, her old McKinley High cheerleading shirt, and realized Rachel must have gone into her room and picked out some clean clothes for her. Which was probably a good thing since she was pretty sure her dress had ended up a ball on the floor.

She quickly dressed and then walked out of the bedroom to find that she was right about Rachel making breakfast. There was a large bowl of fruit already sitting on the island next to the carton of orange juice, and Rachel was standing at the stove, flipping a pancake in the skillet.

"I didn't wake you did I?" Rachel asked when she looked over her shoulder and saw Quinn walking toward her.

Quinn shook her head. "No."

"Good," Rachel said, smiling at her. "I accidentally dropped a few utensils and was afraid I'd disturbed you unnecessarily early."

Quinn set her phone down and grabbed a strawberry as she walked past the island and popped it into her mouth before walking toward Rachel. She stopped just behind the brunette and wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist as she placed a kiss on her shoulder. Rachel leaned into her and looked over her shoulder with a smile.

"Morning," Quinn mumbled, kissing the back of Rachel's neck.

"Good morning to you, too," Rachel softly said. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah," Quinn replied, taking a few steps back, and leaning against the island. "Your beds a lot more comfortable than mine."

Rachel smiled. "Well, then, maybe you'll have to spend more time sleeping in mine."

"Maybe," Quinn agreed with a slight smirk.

Rachel opened her mouth, obviously wanting to say something, but then she shut it and gave Quinn a shy smile instead, like she didn't actually know what to say. Truthfully, Quinn didn't know what to say either. The few people she'd slept with, she found herself leaving as quickly as possible the next morning. Or in one case, about fifteen minutes after it had happened. So this, having no desire to get away from the other person, was new to her, and she really didn't know what to say. Before she could dwell on it too long, though, she heard her phone begin to vibrate behind her.

Quinn turned around and picked up her phone, glancing at the display, expecting to see her parents' number even though it was early for her mother to be calling. She had every intention of ignoring it, but as soon as she saw who was calling, she excused herself and walked toward the living room to talk.

"Hello," Quinn greeted.

"Hey, it's Sara," she said. "I hope I'm not calling too early, but I wanted to call you before I went to work."

"No, I usually get up pretty early," Quinn replied, glancing across the room at Rachel.

"Well, I just wanted to let you know the apartment's yours if you want it," Sara said. "I had one last person interested that I was supposed to show the apartment to, but like I said the other day, I'd rather live with someone I know than a stranger. So, if you're still interested, it's yours."

"Yeah, I'm still interested," Quinn replied.

"Great!" Sara said. "I have to run now, but I'll call you as soon as I get home, okay."

"Okay," Quinn replied. "I work until six, so if you want to call after seven, I should be free."

"Perfect," Sara replied. "I'll talk to you then."

"Bye," Quinn said, glancing over at Rachel again.

Quinn hesitated for a moment before walking back toward the kitchen. Rachel was looking curiously over her shoulder for a moment before looking forward again and pouring some more pancake batter into the pan.

"Who was that? Rachel asked when Quinn sat back down at the island.

"That was Sara," Quinn replied. "She's the girl from my classes whose apartment I looked at on Monday." Quinn paused for a moment. "She offered me the apartment."

"Oh," Rachel said, setting a plate of pancake down in front of Quinn. "What did you say?"

"I told her I'd take it," Quinn answered.

"Oh," Rachel said again. "Well, I guess that means you're moving out in a few days, then."

"Yeah," Quinn replied, setting her phone down on the island with a sigh. "I guess so."

* * *

**Only one chapter left.**


	28. Not the End

**Chapter 28 – Not the End**

"Quinn?" Rachel asked, knocking lightly on her open door. "Are you getting hungry?"

"Not really," Quinn replied as she folded one of her dresses and put it into her suitcase.

"Okay," Rachel said, walking into the room, and setting her hand down on the desk as she looked at Quinn. "It looks like you've made some progress."

Quinn let out a frustrated sigh and ran her hand through her hair. "I hate packing."

"Nothing says you have to do it," Rachel remarked. "Is this your yearbook? Do you mind if I look at it?"

Quinn shrugged and then turned toward her closet to pull out another section of clothes that she was suddenly regretting ever unpacking to begin with. At the time, though, six months seemed like far away.

"You know, I never feel like I have that many things until I start having to put everything in boxes," Quinn commented as she threw the pile of clothes onto the bed.

"I guess I'm lucky I've stayed in one place for so long," Rachel replied. "I hate to imagine how long it would take me to pack up the apartment. Of course, I would probably hire someone to take care of most of it. Obviously not my personal items, but things like the kitchen and living room."

"At least I don't have a lot of big things," Quinn said. "But that means I have a lot of small things that take longer to pack."

"But the actual moving process is easier if you don't have a lot of large items," Rachel replied.

"Do you think you'll ever move from here?" Quinn wondered after a few moments.

Rachel shrugged as she flipped to the next page of the yearbook. "I imagine one of these days I'll get a bigger apartment. You know, when I'm starring in a Broadway show." Rachel grinned at her and Quinn couldn't help but to smile back. "And a two bedroom apartment isn't really big enough to start a family in."

Quinn glanced over at Rachel at the mention of having a family. Considering they'd only been dating for a month, they hadn't exactly discussed things like that, and it hadn't really come up in the past. She wasn't surprised Rachel wanted a family, though; considering how she grew up without much of one, Quinn could easily imagine her wanting to make one of her own.

"Wow, Quinn," Rachel said.

"What?" Quinn asked with a slight groan as she tried to zip up her suitcase.

"I know you've talked about your time as a cheerleader, but I never really pictured you in the uniform," Rachel replied. "And—just—wow."

Quinn tried not to blush. It wasn't exactly the first time she'd gotten that reaction to someone seeing her in that red and white, polyester uniform, but it was different coming from Rachel. And slightly embarrassing.

She didn't really like to think about how she'd been back then, so for Rachel to be seeing her in that uniform was a little weird. She did her best to keep her previous life out of her current one. Obviously there was nothing she could do about Santana and Brittany having explicit knowledge about what she had been like before coming to New York, but she usually tried to stay relatively vague with the friends she'd made since leaving Ohio. Even though Rachel was the one exception to that rule, it still felt strange for her to see Quinn in her Cheerios uniform.

"You have a ponytail in all of these pictures," Rachel noted.

"Yeah, Coach Sylvester made us," Quinn replied.

"Is that why you never really wear your hair up now?" Rachel asked.

Quinn shrugged. "I guess."

"It's quite a bit longer, too," Rachel observed before looking up at Quinn. "I think the slightly shorter hair suits you."

"I've actually thought about cutting it off, but I always talk myself out of it," Quinn said, shaking her head at herself.

"How short?" Rachel asked, setting the yearbook to the side. "Are we talking about a pixie cut or something a little less extreme?"

"Around my shoulders," Quinn replied. "Maybe a little shorter."

"For what it's worth, I think you would look wonderful with any haircut," Rachel said, giving Quinn a smile.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "I think you're biased."

"Maybe," Rachel said with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "However, that doesn't mean it's not true."

Rachel picked up Quinn's yearbook again and began flipping through the pages. Every now and then she would pause on one of them, sometimes smiling as she looked down at the page.

"Is this the Finn you dated?" Rachel asked, turning the yearbook around to show Quinn a picture of the quarterback.

"Yeah, that's him," Quinn replied.

Rachel nodded. "He's cute."

"He was an idiot," Quinn replied.

Rachel laughed as she shut the book and set it back in the desk. "Well, I'm certainly happy you think so, because his loss is my gain." She smiled. "So, are planning on taking a break anytime soon?"

"That depends," Quinn replied.

"On what?" Rachel asked.

"On what you have in mind," Quinn replied.

* * *

As Quinn put her key in the door, she could hear Rachel's laughter inside the apartment. She frowned slightly, wondering if Rachel was watching a movie or something, but when she opened the door and looked toward the living room, she saw some redheaded girl sitting opposite Rachel.

"Oh, Quinn, you're home," Rachel said, smiling at her when Quinn shut the door and began walking toward the living room. "Amanda, this is my current roommate, Quinn. Quinn, this is Amanda. I'm interviewing her about the roommate opening."

Quinn nodded and then looked at Amanda with slightly narrowed eyes. "Hi."

"Hi," Amanda said back.

"Now where were we?" Rachel asked, looking down at her clipboard. "Let's see, you answered that you don't smoke." She scribbled down something on the piece of paper. "How often do you drink?"

As Amanda began answering Rachel's question, Quinn walked into her bedroom and threw her bag down on the bed, rolling her eyes when Rachel started laughing again.

Quinn put her hands on her hips as she began looking around the room. She knew she should pack some more, but she really wasn't in the mood at the moment. One of her coworkers had called in sick, so the manager had called to ask if she'd be willing to work on her day off. She'd almost said no, but since she was trying to save up some money, she figured she should go in.

When Rachel began laughing for a third time, Quinn turned and walking back into the other room. She was trying to look passive, but she knew she probably looked more annoyed than anything. She could usually tell whether or not she was going to like someone as soon as she met them, and she already didn't like Amanda. Rachel, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying her company, which only annoyed Quinn even more.

"There are some leftovers from the Indian restaurant if you're hungry," Rachel said, raising her voice as Quinn walked into the kitchen.

"Thanks," Quinn mumbled.

"You said you have two sisters; would they be visiting you very often?" Rachel asked.

"One lives in California and the other is in North Carolina, so I doubt it," Amanda answered.

"What about friend?" Rachel asked. "If you lived here, would you have friends over often?"

"Would that be a problem?" Amanda asked back.

"No, I just like to get a sense of what to expect if you were to be my roommate," Rachel answered.

"Not, like, every day or anything, but I'd have friends over some," Amanda said.

"Do you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend who would be over often?" Rachel asked.

"I'm single," Amanda answered. "I broke up with my girlfriend a few months ago and I haven't really been ready to date again."

Quinn looked over her shoulder as she pulled the aforementioned leftovers out of the refrigerator. Rachel was nodding as she noted Amanda's answer on the questionnaire, while Amanda glanced around the living room. After a few moments, she looked toward the kitchen and smiled at Quinn, who averted her eyes with a slight scowl.

She had no idea how many people Rachel had already interviews, but Quinn hoped she picked someone other than this girl. She already seemed completely fake, and Quinn didn't like the idea of having to be around her on a regular basis. And she especially didn't like the idea of Rachel living with someone who was so pretty. Especially someone so pretty who was also single and not straight.

"Would you say you're more of a night or a morning person?" Rachel asked.

"I'm definitely a morning person," Amanda answered.

Quinn rolled her eyes again as she jabbed at the button on the microwave to set it for two minutes.

"Wonderful," Rachel replied. "Now, you said you're studying dance at Tisch; do you often rehearse at home or do you usually go into a studio?"

"It depends," she answered. "My current apartment isn't really big enough to even turn around in." She laughed. "If you were okay with it, I would probably practice here some, but if that's a problem, I can always go somewhere else."

"You would be more than welcome to use my rehearsal space," Rachel said, motioning toward the corner of the room. "As you can see, I have a large space and also an excellent sound system, if I do say myself. You would also be more than welcome to use the piano if you know how to play. Or if you don't, I could always recommend some excellent instructors."

Quinn's phone buzzed in her back pocket, and when she pulled it out and looked down at the screen, she saw that she had a text message from Rachel. Curiously, she opened the message, wondering why Rachel was texting her when she was just across the room, but then she saw that it asked what she thought of Amanda.

She quickly send one back saying she didn't like her, but she didn't elaborate any further. A few seconds later, she looked over her shoulder as Rachel picked up her phone and looked at the screen. After a few moments, Rachel smiled to herself and set her phone on the arm of the couch.

"So, what are your plans for after graduation?" Rachel asked, still smiling as she focused her attention on Amanda again.

* * *

Quinn glanced down at Rachel, who had her head on Quinn's shoulder. She was being unusually quiet, especially for a movie she had picked out, and Quinn was beginning to wonder if everything was all right with the brunette. Rachel was a lot better at not talking during the whole movie, but Quinn couldn't remember the last time she hadn't said _anything_ during one.

"Do you want any more popcorn?" Quinn asked, picking the bowl up and offering it to Rachel.

Rachel shook her head. "No, thank you."

Quinn set the bowl of popcorn back down on the end table and looked back at the television screen, where Sarah Michelle Gellar was running for her life from a guy with a hook.

"Does she really think that's a good idea?" Quinn asked.

"Are you saying you do better if you were in a horror movie?" Rachel asked.

Quinn scoffed. "Everyone in these movies do the worst thing they could possibly do in that situation. They're all idiots."

"I suppose that's true," Rachel replied.

They both fell silent again, and after a few minutes, Quinn looked down at Rachel again. She knew there was no way Rachel could be that absorbed in the movie—it wasn't even very good—so she was wondering what was on her mind. She hoped it was just the fact that this was her last night in the apartment, but she was slightly worried it could be something else.

"Are you okay?" Quinn asked a few more minutes of silence.

"I'm fine," Rachel answered, her eyes still focused on the movie.

"Rachel," Quinn said, hoping to gain her attention.

"Yes?" Rachel asked, finally looking up at her.

"You're—you're being really quiet," Quinn stated.

Rachel smiled and said, "I thought you didn't like it when I talk during a movie."

"Regardless, you usually still do," Quinn replied. "Which makes me think something is wrong right now."

"Nothing is wrong Quinn," Rachel said, lying her arm across Quinn's stomach, and snuggling into her side. "I promise. Although, if it will make you feel better, I will happily start talking."

Quinn smiled to herself and kissed the top of Rachel's head. She had no reason not to believe Rachel since, as far as she knew, Rachel had never lied to her. Which was just one of the things she liked about her. So many people just told her what she wanted to hear—especially those she'd been in relationships with—but Rachel wasn't like that. Rachel had always been honest with her and had never pretended to be something she wasn't. From the time Quinn moved in there, Rachel had always been herself, even when it drove Quinn nuts.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked, looking up at her.

Quinn hummed and looked at Rachel. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"What were you thinking about?" Rachel asked, running her fingers across Quinn's cheek.

"You," Quinn answered. "And how much things have changed in the last six months."

Rachel smiled. "It is quite amazing how things can change in such a short period of time. I'm sure six months ago you never would have thought you would be here right now."

"Definitely not," Quinn replied.

If anyone had told her six months ago that she would have eventually become friends with Rachel, she would have thought they were crazy. And if anyone had told her she would eventually end up dating her, she would have laughed in their face. Somehow, though, she had gone from not being able to stand to be in the same room with Rachel to actually falling in love with her.

"It's too bad you're leaving," Rachel said, lying her head back down on Quinn's shoulder.

"Yeah," Quinn softly replied.

She kept expecting Rachel to ask her to stay, but it wasn't something that had come up. In fact, Rachel had interviewed two people that day—both of who Quinn liked no better than the redhead from the day before—so she obviously had no plans to ask her to stay. And Quinn didn't know if she was happy about that or not. On the one hand, it would have made leaving more difficult, but at the same time, it would have been nice to know that Rachel really wanted her to stay.

"I'm beginning to wish I would have chosen a different movie for your last night here," Rachel remarked. "I know this movie was fairly popular in its time, but I'm afraid I fail to see why."

"We can always watch something else after this," Quinn replied.

"Isn't it getting a bit late?" Rachel asked. "I assumed you would be getting up earlier than usual tomorrow."

Quinn shrugged. "Who says I have to leave early?"

Rachel smiled. "Okay, then, another movie it is."

* * *

"What is this?" Quinn asked, spearing one of the pieces of fruit with her fork, and holding it up for Rachel to see,

"Starfruit," Rachel answered when she looked over her shoulder.

"I don't think we have this in Ohio," Quinn remarked.

Rachel gave a light laugh. "I'm sure they sell it there. I know it's slightly more exotic than some of the other fruit you may have consumed, but it's not that uncommon."

"Maybe," Quinn said with a hum. "My family was never big on fruit beyond the usual apple, banana, or orange."

"Which is a shame because there are plenty of amazing fruits and vegetables out there," Rachel replied. "Some people seem to be unwilling to try anything new, though, but how do you know if something is good until you try it?"

Quinn shrugged as she took a bite of the starfruit. "And my parents are definitely not the type to try new things."

"It's too bad," Rachel replied.

"Yeah, they might see the world isn't so black and white if they tried opening their minds a little," Quinn said, stabbing another piece of fruit with her fork. "That'll never happen, though; they don't want to change their mind about things."

Rachel reached out and squeezed Quinn's hand, giving her a sad smile, before releasing it and turning back to the stove.

"How late do you have to work Friday night?" Rachel asked.

"I think until nine," Quinn answered.

"Oh," Rachel replied, looking at Quinn over her shoulder. "Well, what about Saturday?"

"Same," Quinn said.

Rachel sighed. "Well, maybe we can meet for lunch if we can't go on a date this weekend. How does that sound?"

"That sounds fine," Quinn answered.

"Good," Rachel replied as she set a slice of quiche down on Quinn's plate. "I was also thinking maybe we could go out tonight after you've moved in."

"That may take a while," Quinn said.

"I know, which is why I thought I would help things along," Rachel replied. "I know you didn't ask me to, but I took the liberty of calling some movers."

Quinn nodded for a moment, but then said, "Wait. What?"

"I hired some movers," Rachel repeated.

"Why?" Quinn asked. "Brittany and Jack were going to help. And Santana if you count her standing around complaining as help."

"I know, but I thought it would be a lot easier this way," Rachel replied. "Some of those boxes of yours are quite heavy and it would be terrible if one of you threw out your back. Especially Brittany considering her job depends on her being able to move. Not to mention, how would you be able to work if you could barely move around due to a back injury."

Quinn didn't really feel like she needed professional movers, but she knew better than to argue with Rachel. Even if she did, she was fairly certain she would end up agreeing to it in the end anyway. Rachel was quite convincing about this type of thing. Plus, it wasn't as if she was actually looking forward to packing boxes around or anything, and she doubted any of her friends were either.

"You're not angry about it, are you?" Rachel added.

"Why would I be angry?" Quinn asked.

"I don't know," Rachel said with a slight shrug.

"So, when are they going to be here?" Quinn asked.

"They said they'll be here around three," Rachel replied.

Quinn nodded; she'd planned on leaving around that time anyway, so it didn't interfere with any of her plans. "I guess I need to let everyone know they don't need to come over."

"Or you could ask them to meet you at the apartment this evening," Rachel suggested. "We could order dinner out from somewhere and spend the evening getting to know your new place. And, you know, getting to know your new roommate."

"Yeah, what could go wrong making my new roommate spend my first night there with Santana?" Quinn asked.

"Okay, maybe not," Rachel replied with a laugh.

"That doesn't mean you can't come over, though," Quinn said.

She really couldn't imagine not spending her evening with Rachel. She was used to having her around, and the thought of spending the night without Rachel felt weird. Since moving into the apartment, she'd only spent a few evenings without Rachel's presence in one way or another.

"I would be happy to come over," Rachel replied.

"Good," Quinn said, looking down at the food Rachel had set in front of her. "Maybe you could even spend the night."

"Are you sure your roommate is going to be okay with that?" Rachel asked.

Quinn shrugged and said, "She's going to have to be."

* * *

Quinn shouldered her backpack and then picked up the box of linens that she'd set on her bed. The movers were going to be there soon and she thought she would make it easier on them by taking most of the boxes into the living room. Plus, she was feeling a little restless now that everything was packed up and she had nothing to do.

"You know, you really don't have to do that," Rachel said for the second time as she walked out of her bedroom.

"I know," Quinn replied.

"I guess you're just eager to get out of here, then," Rachel commented.

"Far from it," Quinn quietly replied.

"What?" Rachel asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Nothing," Quinn said with a sigh.

The closer it got to three, the more the gnawing feeling in her stomach seemed to grow. The apartment was the first place she'd ever truly felt at home, and the closer she got to having to leave, the more she realized she didn't want to. She loved the apartment and she loved living with Rachel. She didn't want to have to go half way across the city to see her girlfriend and she didn't want to have to live with anyone else. Sara was nice, but she wasn't Rachel.

"Are you feeling okay, Quinn?" Rachel asked. "You look a little pale."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Quinn lied.

Rachel nodded and then said, "Oh, I guess I should let you know that I finally made a decision."

"About your roommate?" Quinn asked, pausing next to the island.

"Yes," Rachel replied. "I decided to go with Jenna."

"The blonde with the curly hair?" Quinn asked.

"That was Jenny," Rachel replied. "Jenna was the African American woman with the braided hair."

"Oh," Quinn said. "She wasn't so bad."

"She was the one you seemed to like the most," Rachel replied. "Although, that isn't saying a lot since you didn't appear to like anyone very much."

Quinn couldn't really argue. She hadn't really liked anyone, but it was hard to like someone when you felt like they were taking your place.

"Have you told her?" Quinn wondered.

"Not yet," Rachel replied. "I figured I would call her this evening once all of your things were gone."

Quinn nodded and took a step toward the door but stopped and turned back toward Rachel. "I don't want to go,"

Rachel quickly turned around with a look of surprise, and Quinn didn't know which of them was more surprised by the announcement. Quinn really hadn't planned on saying anything, but the words had spilled from her mouth before she could stop them.

"What did you say?" Rachel asked.

I-I said I don't want to move," Quinn replied

Rachel smiled, looking hopeful. "You don't?"

"No," Quinn said, setting the box down on the island, and turning toward Rachel.

"So don't go," Rachel replied.

Quinn shook her head. "I have to. Don't I?"

She really didn't know if she was asking Rachel or if she was asking herself.

"Quinn, I want you to stay too," Rachel said, walking over, and wrapping her arms around the back of Quinn's neck.

"But you've never asked me to stay," Quinn replied.

"That's because I wanted you to want to stay," Rachel said, staring into her eyes. "I didn't know if you wanted to, though. I've been dropping hints for the past few weeks, but you've never said anything about continuing to live here. You would just talk about looking for a new apartment."

"I don't want you to think I'm trying to take advantage of you or that I'm only with you so I can live here," Quinn replied.

"I would never think that, Quinn," Rachel said, shaking her head. "I know you better than that."

"I would pay rent," Quinn stated.

"That's really not necessary," Rachel replied.

"Yes, it is," Quinn argued. "And I know I can't pay what this place with worth, but I could give you what I would normally be paying in rent."

"Fine," Rachel replied. "If you insist on paying rent, you can, but I must insist on it going in a jar, and we'll use it to have fun with." Rachel paused. "Wait, does this mean you're going to stay?"

Quinn took a deep breath and then nodded. "Yeah."

Rachel clapped and then leapt into Quinn's arms, pulling her into a tight hug. "I'm so happy you're staying."

"We're both really stubborn, aren't we?" Quinn asked with a smile when Rachel pulled away.

"It would seem so," Rachel replied. "I'm just happy your stubbornness gave way before you moved your things out of the apartment."

"I guess I need to call Sara," Quinn said, glancing toward her phone.

"And I should call the movers," Rachel added. "I'm just thankful I didn't call Jenna yet, but I was hoping you would change your mind about going, so I've been putting it off."

They both smiled and Quinn leaned in, bringing their lips together, but after a moment she pulled back and asked, "You're not going to keep holding me to the roommate agreement, are you?"

Rachel smiled widely. "I may be willing to negotiate the terms."

* * *

**And that's the end of the story. I hope you all have enjoyed it. If you did enjoy it, the good news is this won't be the last you read of **_**this**_** Quinn and Rachel. I do have a short sequel that I plan on writing, so keep an eye out for that. Or you can always follow me on tumblr if you want to learn more about it.**


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